Question

“People’s behaviors are more strongly influenced by temporary external influences than by enduring inner influences.” Evaluate the truth of this statement.

Answer 1

There is a long time debate going on about the inner influence which is nature and the external which is nurture. Some argue that a person’s personality, character and behaviors are influenced by the genetic disposition while other argue that the same are influenced by the environment where one grows. In, my opinion, nurture plays most of the part while we can’t entirely rule out the influence of nature or the genetic make-up. One of the most supporting quote we have for nurture in the world of psychology is from James B. Watson who challenged the world by saying that ‘give me a dozen fully formed babies. I would grow them in my own environment and make them whoever you want them to be such as doctors, engineers etc.