PSY101

For your assignment this week, you will detail key aspects of development and discuss the role of nature and nurture in development.  Complete the weekly reading, review Chapter 7 from Week One of the course, and view the video Breaking the Wall of Nature and Nurture: How Genes and Environment Combine to Affect Our Life Course.  Then, address the following:

1. Summarize your childhood and family. Include the following information:

   • Where were you born (e.g., state, country, or geographical region)?
   • Do you have siblings?
   • Where do you fall in the birth order of your family?
   • Where did you grow up?
   • What was your childhood like?
     • How did your understanding of self and gender begin to develop?
     • What role did gender stereotypes play?  What types of toys were you encouraged to play with? What activities were you encouraged to do?
   • What was your adolescence like?  Was it a time of storm and stress, or was it a smooth transition?

2. Detail the nature versus nurture controversy from the scientific evidence.  Address the following:

• Define nature and nurture.
• Describe which (either nature or nurture) you feel had a greater impact on your development.  
• How did nature and nurture work together to influence who you are today in terms of personality, sexuality, and gender?

Your paper must be two to three pages in length (excluding title and reference pages).  Support your thoughts using a minimum of three references from scholarly sources.  Examples of scholarly sources include: peer reviewed journal articles, research studies, professional websites with authored material, and government websites.  Popular internet sites (Wikipedia, Newsweek, New York Times, etc.) are not considered scholarly sources.  Your paper and sources must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

The Ashford Writing Center (AWC) has two kinds of tutoring available to you.