Assessment 1: The effects of nature and nurture in smoking behavior

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

2011

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Name: Mikky Sipaseutsak

Student ID

Email: sipmy001@mymail.unisa.edu.au

Course code and title: (BEHL 1005) Introductory Psychology 100

School: Health Sciences

Program Code: IBHL

Course Coordinator: Mark Kohler

Tutor: Mark Kohler

Assignment number: 1

Due date: 19 August, 2011

th

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Assessment 1: The effects of nature and nurture in smoking behavior

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2011

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Signed: MIKKY SIPASEUTSAK

Date: 19/8/2011

Assessment 1: The effects of nature and nurture in smoking behavior

2011

Nature and nurture are aspects in social psychology that can be observed through social interactions. Psychologist can study the effects of genetics and environmental influences on human behaviour. This essay will examine both of these ideas and how they influence on smoking behaviour. Nature and nurture are often connected but are separate concepts. Nature can be defined as the relative genetic traits that can determine aspects of human behaviour and nurture can be described as the environmental influences that form an individuals personality. Genetically influenced traits can be turned on or off or respond to different environments (Myers. 2010, p.141). This suggests that both nature and nurture interact together to shape a persons behaviour and individuality (Myers, 2010, p.142). Nurture is the where the basis of learned attributes can develop ones personality. These are environmental influences which often include family, friends, financial status and cultural upbringing.

Genetic predisposition to smoking behaviours can be seen evident among many researched studies. Majority of these studies use identical and fraternal twin participants. Twin subjects enable social researchers to separate environment and hereditary influences, as both fraternal and identical can show contrasting gene influence on different traits e.g. emotion stability (Myers, 2010, p.135). Maes et al (2006) reported that the estimates of heritability to be 71% in males and 65% in females in smoking participation. This demonstrates that genetic traits may play a major part in the inheritability of likeliness of smoking behaviour. However this study had some unmeasured confounding factors which may affect the validity of the results, therefore environmental influences should not be disregarded.

There are many contrasting evidence that shows environmental influences to play an equal or larger role than that of genetic factors in smoking behaviour. White et al (2003) found that the common environment among identical twin subjects was the main factor in smoking involvement during adolescence. However the authors continues to articulate that among older

Assessment 1: The effects of nature and nurture in smoking behavior

2011

adolescences and young adults common environment and genes play almost an equal role in smoking behaviours (Maes et al, 2006). Another study concluded similar findings that when monozygotic twins had shared environments were found to have greater similarities in smoking behaviours (Byrnes et al, 2008). Byrnes et al (2008) also furthered inferred that there was an indirect genetic influence of the subjects choice of friends (who smoke) which were due to hereditary factors. The evidence seems to be contrasting, which may indicate that both genetics and environmental influences have some level of degree together in smoking behaviours.

Psychologically, smoking behaviours can be explained through both nature and nurture. It can be clearly demonstrated that through evidence that there is a lack of clarity of how much of nature and nurture are involved in smoking behaviours. However regardless, it is apparent that both nature and nurture have a role in behavioral predisposition to smoking. As genetic traits mainly act through environmental influences, as previously mentioned gene activity is triggered by environmental elements (Myers, 2010, p.141). Further researched is needed to investigate the root of smoking behaviours to find effective means to reduce the prevalence of smoking.

References Byrnes, GB, White VM, Webster B, Hopper JL, 2008, Does smoking among friends explain apparent genetic effects on current smoking in adolescence and young adulthood?, British Journal of Cancer, vol. 98, pp. 1475-1481. Maes, HH, Neale, M, Kendler, K, Martin, N, Heath, A, Eaves, L, 2006, Genetic and cultural transmission of smoking initiation: An extended twin kinship model, Springer Science and Business Media, vol. 36, pp. 795-808 Myers D G 2010, Psychology, 9th edn, Worth Publishers, New York

Assessment 1: The effects of nature and nurture in smoking behavior

2011

White, VM, Hopper JL, Wearing, AJ, Hill, DJ, 2003, The roles of genes in tobacco smoking during adolescence and young adulthood: a multivariate behaviour genetic investigation, Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and Other Drugs, vol. 98, pp. 1087-1100