Can Environment Override Biology? Exploring Watson's Belief
How many agree with him. This psychology class is so interesting! Your thoughts?
John Watson: "Give me a dozen healthy infants well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors."
Do you share Watson's belief in an "all-powerful" environment, capable of neutralizing or reversing biological predispositions? If this is possible, is it desirable?
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Take my son who's never been around his biological father. My husband has raised him his entire life (he's almost 11). Unfortunately he acts and has mannerisms just like his biological father. I can't stand it. The nature vs. Nurture argument we that the nurture would win but it doesn't seem like it.
I think most people could probably be anything they wanted if they tried hard enough, had enough resources to do so or enough time in order to do it. I do not think you can change a leopards spots. We see this in adopted people all the time. Who were never raised by their biological families. But who end up being exactly like them anyways.
Nature and nurture both play a part. Genetics are a strong indicator, but someone's passion and dedicated support from others can also change the outcome to some degree.