Nature/nurture

Developmental science focuses on the various contributions to development, and whether they lean toward the genetic side of things (nature) or environmental (nurture). Choose from one of the following topics discussed in the modules:

• child obesity


• eating disorders


• adolescent depression

For this paper, review the module material on your specific topic. Then, write a paper describing in detail the “nature” (primarily genetic, inherited) contributions to this condition as well as the “nurture” contributions. You will need to conduct Internet research and cite the sources to obtain additional information on your topic. For example, explaining the inherited reasons for a child to be obese will require that you visit, read, summarize, and cite medical sites on the Internet. It is crucial that you rephrase material in your own words and cite it or put phrases from the sources in quotation marks and cite them. No more than a few sentences should be directly quoted in order for you to receive credit for writing this paper (in other words, no credit is given for a paper that is a string of other people’s quotes). As a general rule of thumb, at least 1.5 pages should focus on "nature" contributions to the issue at hand and at least 1.5 pages should focus on "nurture" contributions.

Your research must include at least two journal articles or books. Websites can be very helpful and informative, but your final paper must include full, published research articles or books on the topic. Sources should be reputable and consistent with what you learned in the module as well as other sources. GoogleScholar and PDF articles from the Internet can be helpful resources. Make sure you use good search terms when trying to find articles. You may want to start broad (for example, “bystander effect”), and then narrow to your particular area. This paper requirement means that you need to include at least two primary sources in your paper; articles from the Internet can be included, but they would be in addition to the two minimum primary sources. Primary sources are firsthand accounts; thus, they involve the author writing about his or her own work.

It is recommended that you spend at least a page and a half discussing “nature” for this topic and a page and at least a half discussing “nurture.” Finally, conclude the paper by indicating which side (nature, nurture) gives the strongest contribution to this condition or whether they are both needed. For example, for child obesity, is genetics alone a sufficient cause for a child to be obese, or are poor eating habits necessary along with a genetic predisposition? The paper should follow the following format:

I. Introduction. Introduce your topic.

II. Description and research on “nature” components

III. Description and research on “nurture” components

IV. Evaluation: which side (nature, nurture) most strongly contributes?