Nature/Nurture Debate Paper

Nature/Nurture Debate Paper
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Nature/Nurture Debate Paper
Is Aggression A Social Learning Behavior?
Human behavior is a demonstration of the effects different stimulus have on an individual or group and occurs as a set of physical or emotional responses. Many studies have attempted to look into various factors believed to cause human behavior and consequently come up with a wide range of findings (Ferguson, 2016). While some findings regard aggression as a biological phenomenon, another hold hat is a behavior achieved through social learning. Aggression is a behavior that results from frustration and aimed at causing harm to someone or something (McCawley, 2001). Although human behavior such as aggression is achieved through nurturing, there is a certain degree to which it can be attributed to nature or genetic factors.
Aggression is highly a learned behavior that individuals acquire under environmental influences. Several studies and scientific models support this claim including Frustration-aggression model. In this model, aggression is demonstrated as a result of frustration caused by the external factors. Similarly, Albert Bandura’s social learning theory brings into a perspective of aggression as a learned behavior in two ways. One way is by observing, and the other is by receiving or expecting payoffs. For example, during Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment, children exposed to aggressive model showed aggressive behavioral responses matching those of the models.

Such imitative responses were not observed among the group exposed to the nonaggressive and control models (McLeod, 2014). Consequently, Bandura concluded that cognitive processes such as attention, motivation, and memory from previously witnessed event influence behaviors in a similar situation.
Even though the above models support that aggression is a socially picked behavior, ample evidence to support it as an innate aspect of individuals and animals exists. Several studies point out that aggression stems from the variation of levels of body chemicals. Biologically, low level of serotonin in the brain but a high level of blood serotonin is a condition common to all violent men (McCawley, 2001). Other studies also relate aggression to levels of testosterone. Unlike theories of social learning, these facts supporting aggression as a natural aspect of animals and people have well-explained gender differences in aggression responses. In the Bobo Doll experiment, boys were more physically aggressive than the girls (McLeod, 2014). While Bandura’s theory of social learning failed to explain this situation, all scientific and theoretical models supporting aggression as innate explains it sufficiently.
Bobo Doll experiment was well designed and all variables adequately defined. As such, it supported that human behavior such as aggression is learned from people and other factors in social contexts. Therefore, it is relevant to the nature vs. nurture debate in explaining aggression. However, it did not capture the gender factor underlying the aggressive behavior the children demonstrated. Notably, the experiment revealed that girls exposed to aggressive models showed more physical, aggressive responses against male models than against female models (McLeod, 2014). Considering that all controls variables were kept uniform for all groups, a question arises on why girls had different reactions to the models based on their gender. Also, the experiment did not consider the role a reward system can have on child’s behavior. The reason for this is that it is likely for a child to exhibit a certain response that he previously observed being rewarded than those attracting a punishment. Finally, the experiment was unethical since it did not consider the long-term behavioral impact it could have on the children.
Modification of human behavior through social learning is a matter that numerous studies have proven important for the understanding of social issues such as crimes, juvenile delinquency, and drug use. The reason for this is that young children are vulnerable to unhealthy behaviors they imitate from parents, social media, music or film celebrities, and others in the community (Ferguson, 2016). For example, a child brought up by the abusive and alcoholic father is likely to demonstrate aggression, violence and alcohol use. Therefore, children observing healthy behaviors of their parents, teachers, friends, and others in the society will imitate them leading to a healthy society.
In conclusion, children’s behavior is achieved by learning through observation, imitation, and modeling. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that they live in a healthy environment and surrounded by people who have good behaviors. This is evident from Bobo Doll experiment that revealed that children pick their behavior from others in the society. Although the experiment was relevant to the matters it aimed to investigate, it failed to explain the reason for different responses towards people males and female. Also, the experiment was unethical as it ignored long-term effects the experiment could have on the children.
References
Ferguson, C. J. (2016). Media Psychology 101. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
McCawley, S. (2001). The Nature of Aggression (or is it Nurture?). Bryn Mawr College. Retrieved February 03, 2001, from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web2/Mccawley.html
McLeod, S. (2014, January 01). Bobo Doll Experiment. Retrieved February 02, 2018, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html
Wheeler, S. (2017). Bandura’s 4 Principles of Social Learning Theory. Retrieved February 02, 2018, from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/principles-of-social-learning-theory/