Nurture and Intelligence (Essay Sample)
Type of service: Writing from scratch
Work type: Essay (any type)
Academic level: College (3-4 years: Junior, Senior)
Subject or discipline: Psychology
Title: Writer's choice
Number of sources: 2
Provide digital sources used: No
Paper format: MLA
# of pages: 2
Spacing: Double spaced
# of words: 550
# of slides: ppt icon 0
# of charts: 0
Paper details: Assignment 1: Discussion Questions
By the due date, answer one of the discussion questions on the next page. All discussion responses should be posted to the appropriate thread in the Discussion Area on the next page. Start reviewing and responding to at least two of your classmates as early in the week as possible.
Peer responses are due by the end of the week.
The discussion questions for this task include:
The nature versus nurture debate is a classic controversy. The issue of individual differences in intelligence is a topic of much fascination. It arouses strong reactions and elicits personal beliefs and biases.
Visit the following Web site to read more about this issue:
Nature vs. Nurture in Intelligence
Discuss the following:
In your opinion, is intelligence primarily inherited (nature) or primarily influenced by experience (nurture)? For example, is it possible for a cultural group to have innately lower intelligence scores because of genetic predisposition?
Does richness of environment fully influence intellectual potential?
Do we all have the same potential?
Support your statements with evidence from your text or readings.
Look at all the stages of your life. In your opinion, what role has the culture you grew up in played in two of these stages?
You could, for example, specifically choose adolescence, childhood, early adulthood, or college.
Explain using examples of specific life events or outcomes that you can now see were influenced during these stages
What is your viewpoint on the use of intelligence tests that are generally produced in the West on people from non-Western cultures? Do you think these tests translate across cultures to obtain meaningful scores? Discuss the pros and cons of using standardized intelligence tests within and across cultures.
Please see the next Post Here page for specific guidance from your instructor on which question(s) you are expected to answer.
Assignment 1 Grading Criteria and Respective Point Value
Maximum Points
Content
Uses terminology and effectively communicates concepts introduced in the assigned reading.
20
Proposes logical, substantive responses to discussion questions.
30
Research
Supports ideas and demonstrates understanding with textual, visual, and/or oral references and examples. Where relevant, uses proper APA citation format and style.
10
Participation
Participates actively in the discussion. Includes at least two substantive responses. Where relevant, may provide constructive critique of other students' work or ask thoughtful questions.
20
Format
Employs correct and standard college-level English grammar, mechanics, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure, appropriate logic and voice.
10
Total:
90
Student’s Name
Tutor’s Name
Course Name
Date.
Intelligence
Introduction
Several people have defined intelligence in different perspectives ranging mainly from comprehensive abilities of individuals, logic capacity, learning, reasoning, emotional knowledge, creativity, self-awareness, creativity and the ability to solve problems. Therefore, the appropriate definition of intelligence can be deduced to be the ability of an individual to acquire knowledge, skills and understand or deal with new situations from the past experience within an environment and coming up with an effective methodology to solve a given problem. Human intelligence always consists of the abilities to always learn from the past experience and get appropriate adaptation to the new situations. The human brain is also made of knowledge and skills that manipulates the situations. In most situations of human characteristics and cognition, intelligence is a complex aspect that is contributed by both genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, a cultural group can as well have lower intelligence score if both the factors are not met irrespectively.
Nurture and Intelligence
Environmental factors always affect an individual’s intelligence from childhood. For a person to develop some intellectual abilities, they always need to be given appropriate environmental stimuli just from childhood (street et al 7913). This should be before they get to the critical stage for adjusting their neural connection ends which normally starts from adolescence towards adulthood. The critical period is also believed to be the point where an individual acquires the intellectual abilities, as well as the change in neuronal connection, will automatically affect the future changes in an individual. This is always creating the difference between the people of different cultures. Education, breastfeeding, womb condition, nurture, and parenting, national culture, stress, and diseases are some of the environmental factors that affect intelligence. People have different intelligence potentials due to different environmental factors and as well different in creativity and hard work. Education acts as a significant tool that affects intelligence and in school, it varies from one age to another.
Nature and Intelligence
According to Coll, Bearer & Lerner (35) Genes makes a significant difference in intelligence. However, they only contribute to half of the intelligence composition of an individual. This still provides a strong support to the environmental factors. The half estimation of genetical difference in intelligence mainly ranges from twin cases and DNA studies as well as adoption. At a later age, Children adopted from their biological parents have the same cognitive abilities as those of children raised by their biological parents. It is always believed that typically the adopted children and their adopted parents do have the same intelligence. Ability to make a prediction based on cognitive potential from DNA has proved very useful. Scientists as well can use the DNA to trace the development pathways that link genes, the brain capacity and intelligence.
Personal Opinion On the Role of Culture
Intelligence is defined only by the culture in which it exists. People of western culture views intelligence in terms of reasoning and take it
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