Questions to Answer: For the questions that follow, you will pretend that each trait/behavior is exclusively determined by nature or nurture (no interaction of the two forces) and discuss how society should respond given this information. The whole point of this assignment is to get students to think about the role the cause of a behavior plays in how we view people and their behavior. As an example, most people might feel sorry for someone that was injured in a car accident lithe individual was not at fault for the accident. However, if the person was drunk while driving and caused the accident. most people would not feel sorry for him/her because he/she could have chosen not to drive while intoxicated.
- Criminal Behavior
a. Imagine that scientists discover that criminal behavior is completely driven by a biological influence, such as genetics, and this tendency will be passed onto criminals’ offspring. Explain what society should do with individuals that engage in criminal activities.
b. Imagine that scientists discover that criminal behavior is completely driven by an environmental influence, such as parenting. Explain what society should do with individuals that engage in criminal activities. - Gender Identity a. Imagine that scientists discover that gender identity is completely determined by genetics and cannot be modified by nurture. Explain how society should deal with/treat transgendered individuals.
b. Imagine that scientists discovr that gender identity is completely determined by the environment in which one was raised. Explain how society should deal with/treat transgendered individuals. - Intelligence a. Imagine that scientists discover that people’s intelligence is completely determined by genetics and will be passed on to their offspring. Some people, notable Sir Francis Galton (an English psychologist in the 1800s). have argued that society should sterilize people with low intelligence (such as people with intellectual disability or what used to be called “mental retardation”) or at least prevent them from reproducing. Explain whether you think such action is warranted if intelligence were to be found to 100, due to genetics. b. Imagine that scientists discover that people’s intelligence is completely determined by the environment in which they are raised. Explain what society should do with children whose parents have lovv intellectual functioning.
Sample Solution
