Unit 2 Assignment Children and Adolescent Psychology

Essay Instructions:

This assignment assesses the following Course Outcome: PS220-1: Discuss the influences of genetics, environment, and culture on development. Thinking About the Influences of Genetics, Environment, and Culture on Child Development An important question in the field of child development is the role of genetics, environment, and cultural context in development. The purpose of this assignment is to think more deeply about these influences. Please use the Unit 2 Assignment Template to address the following five points. The points should be addressed using complete sentences and citing the source for any information that is not your own. The controversy regarding nature versus nurture dates back thousands of years, where philosophers once heatedly debated whether development is caused by nature or nurture. In the context of this debate, define the term nature and define the term nurture. Using Chapter 1 of the textbook, imagine a debate between John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the nature-nurture controversy. Summarize the argument each historical figure would make for either the nature side of the debate or the nurture side of the debate. Contemporary theorists now describe the age-old nature-nurture controversy as the influence of genetic and environmental factors on development. Peruse Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and/or Chapter 4 of your textbook for two examples of genetic influences on development and two examples of environmental influences on development. List and briefly describe the two examples for each influence. Contemporary developmentalists now grant roles to both the influences of genetics and environment on development but believe the relative contribution of each influence can vary. Scientists have proposed various ways to understand how genetic and environmental influences work together. Concepts that have been proposed include gene-environment interaction, gene-environment correlation, and epigenesis. Using Chapter 2 of the textbook, briefly describe each concept, making clear which one you believe explains the relationship between the influences of genes and environment best. Contemporary developmentalists emphasize that child development can be fully understood by considering the many-layered and complex contexts that shape development. One such context is the cultural context. Define the term culture and briefly describe one example of culture influencing child development. Your opinion: Based on the Unit 1 and Unit 2 readings, do you think genetic influences, environmental influences, cultural influences or a combination of two or all three play(s) the bigger role in development? Clearly explain why you believe this.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Thinking about the Influences of Genetics, Environment, and Culture on Child Development First/Last Name PS220: Child and Adolescent Psychology Instructor’s Name Date Nature versus Nurture Nature refers to genes and other hereditary factors that determine personality and influence childhood to adulthood development. Nurture refers to the impact of environmental factors on development, including social relationships, culture, and childhood experiences (Osher et al., 2021). In this debate, John Locke viewed children as unique creatures that their parents should mold, and they had very little influence on their destinies and personalities. He believed that development was a continuous process and children acquired maturity over time. On the other hand, Jean-Jacques Rousseau supported nature because he believed that personality is innate in children and instructions from parents can only impair their way of expressing it. He believed that children controlled their fates by having an inherent consciousness and that their development was irregular (Berk, 2022). Genetic and Environmental Influences Genetic influences on development include some genetic illnesses and skin color. Genetic diseases like Down syndrome, hemophilia, skin cancer, and sickle cell anemia are caused by mutations in a person’s genes. Moreover, the type, amount, and packaging of melanin polymers in melanocytes determine the skin color of all individuals—mutations in this phenotype and the melanocortin1 receptor cause albinism, freckling, red hair, and sun sensitivity. Environmental influences on development include height and life expectancy (Berk, 2022). Height is primarily determined by genetics, but the environment influences the expression of the corresponding phenotypes. Jelenkovic et al. (2020) found that a hostile environment during childhood, like constant infections and a poor socio-economic environment, decreases a child's physical growth, leading to shorter adult height than the expected height. Life expectancy is also influenced by environmental factors like access to quality healthcare, good nutrition, a good social circle, and the absence of traumas and stressors. Gene-Environment Interaction, Gene-Environment Correlation, and Epigenesist Gene-environment interactions refer to situations where...

Updated on May 24, 2024

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