Early Human Development

Early human development

        Human growth and development is a complex process can be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Psychologists have done many studies for determining how human growth can be influenced by nature (heredity) or nurture (environment). Some scientists agreed to the point that both play important roles and interact together to guide the infant maturation. This essay will discuss the influences on early human development leading to prove that nurture has the strongest influence on babies’ maturation.
        Nature and nurture have different impacts on determining the human characteristics. For example, the first view point agreed with the idea that newborn babies have a biological basis which leads to the herediterian view point. Scientists such as Darwen claimed humans are born small but mature adults. On the other hand, the other view point such as Watson and Skinner claimed that the brain of the infant is empty or white page, what gets written on this page is what the infant experiences as they grow up(Atkinson et al. (cited in Slaght, Harben & Pallant 2006, p.12). In contrast, genetic structure and DNA determine the growth of the cells so that human baby develops into a person rather than a fish or a monkey. In addition, eyes and skin and hair colour are determined by the genes (Atkinson et al. (cited in Slaght, Harben & Pallant 2006, pp.12-13).   In addition to the behaviorists’ view point, environmental events can cause abnormal development to the unborn babies. For instance, if the mother contacts German measles during the period of the organ systems are developed, and if the mother smokes, drinks alcohol too much and drugs, as a result, the baby maybe born deaf, blind or brain damaged (Atkinson et al. (cited in Slaght, Harben & Pallant 2006, p.13).
          Today, most psychologists agree that not only does nature but also nurture play very important roles in the course of human development, and these two...