Objectives: Discuss ongoing debate over what most determines human behavior: “nature” (heredity) or “nurture” (social environment) Discuss how studies of feral, isolated, and institutionalized children prove that social contact and interaction is essential for healthy human development Explain statement, “It is society that makes people human”
Nature: Genetics; in born Nurture: Social environment (the entire human environment, including direct contact with others)
Which do you think has the most impact on a person, Nature or Nurture? Take 2 minutes… Read Heredity or Environment excerpt (pg. 64) individually, then discuss as a group
Feral children—assumed to have been raised by animals, in the wilderness, isolated from other human beings many cannot speak and take on animal-like traits (ie: walking on all fours, lapping water, eating grass/raw meat, no reaction to cold or pain); difficult to develop take on characteristics of their environment Wild Boy from Aveyron
Isolated children—raised in an environment shut off from communication (see story of Isabelle at beginning of chapter) Unlike most feral children, can progress through stages of development Language is the key to human development. --without it, there can be no culture Institutionalized children—raised in an environment with little to no human interaction studies by Skeels & Dye Besides language, close relations with other humans is important in developing intelligence
babies do not develop “naturally” into human adults They may grow, but are little more than big animals if kept in isolation Without language can’t experience or even grasp relations between people through human contact people learn to be members of the human community Socialization—the process by which people learn the characteristics of their group—the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and actions thought appropriate for them
2 articles dealing with aspects of Socialization sent to school read them be prepared to discuss them in class on Monday.