Biological and Environmental Factors and Human Development

The following presents the topic of the ways that biological and environmental factors affect human development. A review of literature is used to discuss this nature versus nurture issue. This is followed by a summary and conclusions.

The nature versus nurture debate was initiated in the 19th century by Galton, who invented eugenics and selective breeding. This debate continued and dominated the 20th century (Hogenboom, 2003). Hogenboom further noted that this debate included two extreme views. Stalin presented one extreme in his communistic ideas that educational and the environment influenced human development and Hitler presented his alternate eugenic ideas about race superiority. The debate went on to enter the educational field with the question of whether children were blank slates that could be molded by the environment or whether their character and intelligence is inherited. Hogenboom stated that Ridley presented a view that synthesized these extremes noting that human development cannot only be ruled by genes in the DNA. In fact genes are regulated by promoter genes which are turned on and off by environmental factors. Thus, Ridley brought to light the notion that genes are enablers rather than constrainers (Hogenboom, 2003).

Biological and Environmental Processes of Human Development

Gottesman and Hanson (2005) stated that the nature versus nurture debate is of no meaning since biological and genetic pro

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ave higher rates of poor living status and higher rates of disability, disease, and mortality rates. Educational levels are a product of environmental and biological influences and these levels in turn affect human development and social status (and vice versa). Differences in SES and childhood backgrounds have profound effects on human development and these factors are affected by both biological and environmental influences. As a person ages, there are multiple biological and environmental factors that affects his or her development. These authors concluded that the future of research must examine contextual factors that affect the biological-environmental interactions to understand human development and how to assist with optimal life span development. George (2005) supported conclusions that SES affects human development. George stated that SES affects the health and development across the life span. George also noted that biologists presented early understandings that the human genome was a factor in human development but even these early conclusions recognized the fact that multiple genes are related to biological sources of behavior. Environment and the interaction between the genes and the environment are import

Category: Psychology -