WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology sample

The ‘nature versus nurture’ debate Similarly, women are more caring for their children because, the arguments claims, when young, they are treated more ‘softly’ and given toys such as dolls and prams which bring out caring qualities. Supporters of the nurture argument point to both cultural diversity around the world and cases of feral children as evidence to support their argument. Cultural diversity Knowledge In the previous section, we looked at how cultures vary over time and between countries. Sociologists argue that these differences demonstrate that human behaviour is mostly learned. If human behaviour was a result of natural factors, it could be expected to be fairly similar all over the world and would not change as significantly as it does over time. Example The role of women in different societies is an example of how there are variations between cultures and over time and how the role of women is determined by the society they live in, not solely by the natural factors of being ‘female’. Comparison In some societies, women are confined to the home and only allowed to work with other women. They are required to cover their faces and bodies outside the home and they might not be allowed an education or a job. In Britain, women are free to dress as they choose. By law, women should have the same opportunities as men in education and the workplace. Many women now work full time, and there are some men who stay at home and look after the children while their female partners go out to work. Feral children Knowledge Other evidence used by sociologists to support the nurture side of the argument is provided by cases of feral children . ‘Feral’ means wild or unsocialised. Feral children are children who have been removed from normal human contact and have missed out on the normal processes of human socialisation . They have not learned social behaviours and are unable to participate as humans within their society at first. They have no identities as ‘people’. These cases show much human behaviour is learned. Evaluation Although sociologists tend to support the nurture argument, they are aware of the influence of biological factors. Those who support the nature side of the debate would also recognise that nurture plays some part. It is probable that both nurture and nature influence human behaviour and traits. Thus, we know that children inherit physical traits such as height from their parents, but we also know that diet, an environmental factor, will affect height. An undernourished child will not reach their potential in height. The degree to which each factor is stronger, however, will always be debated. SUMMARY The ‘nature versus nurture’ debate refers to whether human behaviour is natural or learned, and to how much our identities are ‘innate’ and how much they are developed by our interactions with other people and the wider world. Supporters of the ‘nature’ side stress the significance of what we are born with and inherit in our genetic make-up. The ‘nurture’ side stresses that it is how we are brought up that influences our behaviour. CHECK IT Sociologists argue that boys and girls are socialised very differently as they grow up. List as many different ways they are socialised as you can, for example through toys. ✓ SPOTLIGHT: Is there any way to get actual evidence to support either side of the debate? Think of experiments that could be conducted and the problems that would potentially arise. METHODS PLENARY Do you think human behaviour and identity are the result of nature or nurture, or both? Write a paragraph or two giving reasons for your answer. 15