YOUR CHOICES IMPACT OUR CHOICES
Do we become who we are because our genes say so? Or does our environment play a role?
The argument of nature vs. nurture has been around for centuries, but it has recently been identified that neither nature nor nurture paint the whole picture of an individual. Instead, it is the nurturing of those natural tendencies that determines who we become.
According to human behavior and parenting expert Dr. Gail Gross in an article entitled “The Power of Parental Influence in Child Development” on Huffington Post, our genes set the stage, but the environment our parents provide truly decides our fate.
“So, although your genes lay out a blueprint for your potential development, they do not determine the way in which you will grow,” she says. “Instead, it is the environment your parents create that instructs and directs your genes by enhancing some and turning off others.”
AT THE BEGINNING
A parent’s influence begins when their child is born. According to social learning theory, people learn social cues and norms through watching others. The process of social learning is particularly relevant for children. Studies show that even infants mimic their parents; specifically, parental emotions highly influence infant emotions.
From birth, we