RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT
The
question whether heredity or environment is more important in moulding the personality
is really meaningless. It is now rather generally accepted that both heredity
and environment jointly shape a person’s abilities, skills and personality
characteristics. Heredity is a very important factor in the development of personality.
There can be no development without heredity as there can be no structure
without base. But the base is not the only factor which counts in structure.
Something more and equally important is required to raise the edifice. That something
more is environment without which development is a meaningless term. Every
phenomenon of life is the product of both these factors. Each is as necessary
to the result as the other. Neither can ever be eliminated and neither can ever
be isolated. Both are equally important and indispensable. They are
complementary and support each other.
In judging
the relationship between heredity and environment, now it can be said that it
is absurd to make statement like heredity or environment. The either and or
relationship between these two terms does not exist. It is always heredity and environment.
It is said that heredity deals the cards but environment plays them. Heredity
sets the probable biological limits, whereas environment determines the level
upto which the development is possible. The inherited potentiality always acts
through the environment and the result of the joint action of nature and nurture
is the personality of the individual as seen by others. The greater the potentiality
and the more favourable the environment, greater will be the result of the
joint action.
The personality of an individual is not just the
sum total of his heredity and environment. The relation of heredity and environment
is not like addition, but more like multiplication. The personality does not
equal heredity + environment, but does equal heredity X environment
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