Psychological Development and Diversity in Childhood: The Role of Nature and Nurture on Child's Temperament

This report presents a comparative understanding between nature and nurture and their role on child's temperament. It discusses the impact of biological factors and upbringing on a child's emotions, attitude, and aptitude. The report also explores different theories and arguments on the influence of nature and nurture on a child's temperament.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT
AND DIVERSITY IN
CHILDHOOD

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
The report will be presenting deeper insights fetching comparative understanding
between nature and nurture and their role on child's temperament. Over the time, it has been seen
that both the elements are being upheld by many phycologists but the fact cannot be rejected that
they are having their great impact so the essay would be disclosing it. Temperament can be
defined as an aspect where speed and intensity of emotions get disclosed. At the same time,
nature and nurture are some characteristics in human being which are core notions behind
fabrication of its persona (Buss, Zhou and Trainer, 2021). Nature can be defined as biological
factor and nurture is nothing but the notions got imparted thought upbringing or other life
experiences.
MAIN BODY
Temperament of a child can be twigged in the way a child responds to the rest of the
world. While responding others the mental, emotional, attitude, aptitude etc. are some factors
which works behind. Psychology believes that there are some factors which are heavily behind
inclination of the temperament (Krol and Grossmann, 2018)
Childhood is the phase which puts greater impact on the mental level of a child. Its
emotions, aptitude, attitude get shape in this age. A child is supposed to be influenced by
exteriorise factors in this period. So there are some theories which are supporting the same
notion in their way. Pseudoscientific protopsychological theory also believes that there are four
types of personality such as Choleric, melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic. These are shaped up
with the period and it totally depends on some factors such as nature and nurture (Zvara et. al.
2018)
There is a very long going debate on Nature Vs Nurture. The position is so much valid
that the both elements are having their impact yet it would be fair enough to articulate that the
degree or proportion is quite different. Nature is nothing but means biological factors which are
making some great changes in the behaviour of a child of around 3 years (Kaukonen, et. al.
2019) At the same time, Nurture can be articulated as upbringing or the life experiences of a
child.
There are many thinkers who believe that the nature is the most affluent aspect.
Nowadays the word Genetic is also being used. It is claimed in a study that around 60% of
temperament of a child is set by their genetics so nature should be considered the biggest driver

(Harold and Leve, 2018) It is seen that there are number of convictions such as how social, or
shy they are but these all things are lying in the jurisdiction of their nature.
Contrasting the above idea some thinkers or phycologists believe that nurture is a great
factor. As some researches claim that personality of a child or its temperament is nothing but just
a result of its nurture. The nature of genetics should not be there a child is heavily driven by its
nurture (Wood and Laycraft, 2020) The argument is supported that the traits are not needy of
genetics this is nurture which is determining notion of temperament. The biggest peril they found
was the idea. As nature believes that all the things are genetics and inherited so external variables
are nullified. But when it comes to practise the things are not same.
The Theory of Freud's also says that there are some factors or drivers which are
ensuring these outcomes so before moving forward they must be contemplated in attempt to
deepen the understanding of temperament (Chaudhuri and Agnihotri, 2022) He explained that in
the first five years of life a child is hugely affected by environment. Its parents and the way they
are treating him. Psychosexual development also takes place in the same age so it would be fair
enough that these factors are having their great role in setting up temperament.
Social theory also supported the argument that the behaviour of baby is determined by
parenting strategies so the way child is being treated by their parent is kind of driving factor of
emotions of child. If parents are rude then it is often seen that some negative outcomes would be
reflected in the behaviour of child so temperament can be cited as outcome of nurture not nature.
Since by birth aptitude aspect may be prone to some direction but it is not fully fledged
testimony of overall inclination toward temperament (Harold and Leve, 2018)
For example- a research study carried out by National Library of Medicine says that the
temperament of a child depends on level of emotions. Emotions are heavily driven by social
factors or should be called external factors. On the basis of this theory the notion can be
supported that nurture is playing a vital role in determination of temperament. Since there are
some external factors which put horrendous impact in psychological manner which ultimately set
of temperament.
There are number of emotional pattern such as admiration, calmness, confusion, disgust,
pain, awkwardness, fear, interest, joy, relief, entrancement, excitement etc. these all notions are
shaped up by external factors. But there are ample examples and studies where it was found that

these factors are driven by nature. So genetics play great role (Kaul, Konantambigi and Anant,
2019)
At the end, form the evaluation made above it would be articulated that both nature and
nurture are having their influence on temperament of a child. But their proportion and degree of
influencing is quite different. Still, the researchers argue that nature and nurture both factors are
affecting temperament to certain degree. The proportion determination is still a much complex
task.
CONCLUSION
Form the report above it can be abridged that temperament of a child specifically lying in
the age group of 3 is heavily affected by both nature and nurture factors. Yet the essay presented
a fully-fledged evaluation making comparison between nature and nurture (Zvara et. al. 2018) In
addition to the nation some theories were also used in order to substantiate the arguments. At the
end of the essay a balanced argument was presented depicting factors behind setting up of
temperament.

REFERENCES
Buss, K. A., Zhou, A. M. and Trainer, A., 2021. Bidirectional effects of toddler temperament and
maternal overprotection on maternal and child anxiety symptoms across
preschool. Depression and anxiety. 38(12). pp.1201-1210.
Chaudhuri, M. and Agnihotri, S., 2022. Nurturing the Scientific Temper and Vision of Ancient
Indian Physicists through NCERT Science Textbooks: An Analysis. Journal of Positive
School Psychology. 6(3). pp.1179-1188.
Harold, G. T. and Leve, L. D., 2018. Parents as partners: How the parental relationship affects
children’s psychological development. In How Couple relationships shape our
World (pp. 25-56). Routledge.
Kaukonen, R., et. al. 2019. A cross-sectional study of children's temperament, food consumption
and the role of food-related parenting practices. Appetite. 138. pp.136-145.
Kaul, K., Konantambigi, R. and Anant, S., 2019. Child temperament and emotion socialization
by parents and its influence on emotion regulation by children. Journal of Indian
Association for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. 15(2).
Krol, K. M. and Grossmann, T., 2018. Psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and
mothers. Bundesgesundheitsblatt-Gesundheitsforschung-Gesundheitsschutz, 61(8),
pp.977-985.
Wood, V. and Laycraft, K., 2020. How can we better understand, identify, and support highly
gifted and profoundly gifted students? A literature review of the psychological
development of highly-profoundly gifted individuals and overexcitabilities. Annals of
Cognitive Science, 4(1).
Zvara, B.J., et. al. 2018. Mother–child role confusion, child adjustment problems, and the
moderating roles of child temperament and sex. Developmental psychology. 54(10).
p.1891.
Online:
<https://online.maryville.edu/blog/nature-vs-nurture-child-development/#:~:text=Nature%3A
%20Genetic%20and%20Hereditary%20Influences,also%20primarily%20driven%20by
%20genes.>
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310866/>