Nurture and Nature in the early human development Assignment

Nurture and Nature in the early human development - Assignment Example However, due to the rise in behaviourism, experts opined that nurture played a role in human development. This argument was based on the fact that training in early childhood can make the child develop into any kind of adult. However, most psychologists of current generation are of the opinion that both nature and nurture have a role in the development of humans and adulthood depends on the interactions between these two aspects. Most attributes of human beings, like emotional stability, sociability and psychiatric illnesses are a result of interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Experts are of the opinion that even innate biological attributes are modifiable by environmental factors. A good example for this is development of congenital anomalies and other problems in the fetus consequent to exposure to infectious diseases, maternal malnutrition, maternal smoking and maternal alcoholism. Similarly while development of milestones is programmed genetically and all childr en go through similar milestones at similar ages, some research has shown that achievement of milestones, to some extent depends on the stimulation. Similar features were noted in speech development. While newborns are born with functioning sensory, development of the sensory systems depends on environmental stimulation. For example, at birth newborns watch only flashing lights, or ridges and movements of head. They however gradually learn to recognize faces and identify them. Newborns start at loud noises and turn their head towards sound. But this disappears at 6 weeks and reemerges at 3-4 months age when the infant even turns the eyes towards the source of sound. Speech development occurs based on perception of sounds. Babies also have taste sensation and touch sensation and have preference to sweet taste and different types of touch. Their expressions towards different tastes are different. They also have good olfactory sensation and behave