Describe the two key points that support the argument that nature shapes behavior.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. The two key points that support the argument that nature shapes behavior are developmental and health differences between males and females, and cases of unsuccessful sex reassignment.a) Developmental and health differences: Boys mature more slowly than girls, get sick more often, and are less likely to have mastered the self-control and fine-motor skills necessary for a successful start in school. Girls are at least twice as likely as boys to suffer from depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.b) Unsuccessful sex reassignment: John Money, a highly respected psychologist, maintained that gender identity is determined as much by culture and nurture as by hormones. His views were based on the case of David Reimer, a child who underwent sex reassignment. A biologist and a psychiatrist who followed up on David/Brenda's case in the 1990's, however, concluded that the sex reassignment had failed. David's experience suggests to some scientists that nature outweighs nurture in shaping a person's gender identity.