The debate regarding the origins of one’s psychological qualities and character traits started as early as 19th century. In his article, McLeod (2017) explains that back in the 19th century, Francis Galton approached this issue, stating that better breeding could lead to increased intellectual capacity. As early as 1883 he suggested that society could be improved through better breeding (McLeod, 2017). Nevertheless, this point of view was accompanied by an opposite one, which stated that one’s character is shaped during the childhood years. In particular, behaviorists believe that a child is a “tabula rasa” which is “gradually filled as a result of experience” (McLeod, 2017).

To begin with, nativists (the proponents of the “nature” approach) see the individual as a sum of certain inherited traits and characteristics. For instance, Plato believed that some traits are possessed from birth and cannot be altered regardless of the environment that one is raised in. An important nativist theory belongs to Chomsky. He stated that humans are born with a certain mental capacity which determines how they acquire language skills. Importantly, nativists argue that such biological aspects as life expectancy, height, eye color, as well as one’s predisposition toward certain diseases, are genetically determined.

The earlier mentioned idea of “tabula rasa” belongs to John Locke. His philosophy is rooted in the idea that our experiences determine fully who we become. Another theorist, John Watson, stressed that an individual can be trained to do anything regardless of genetics. According to the “nurture” approach, the parenting style that one grows up with significantly influences the individual’s future. Those who are granted more opportunities early on, as well as a nurturing environment, have much better chances of living a happy and fulfilling life.

In sum, both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. For one thing, the nativist approach emphasizes that some things are inborn, such as certain physical and psychological traits. At the same time, the nurture-based approach explains that individuals are shaped by their environments early on in life. In my opinion, we are born full of infinite possibilities. Our psyche is like a garden full of seeds — each of them can be planted and cultivated. At the end of the day, the environment where we are raised determines which seeds are cultivated and looked after and which are left untouched.