Babies: Nature Versus Nurture

Do Babies Arrive 80 Percent Baked?

March 12, 2008

Long live the nature versus nurture debate. Beautiful Brit Kate Beckinsale recently gave her take on the situation based on experience with her daughter, Lily, 9.

The 34-year-old actress told Mean magazine:

Babies show up as themselves. I really do believe you can f--k a person up terribly by being a bad parent, but they arrive kind of 80 percent baked, and that 20 percent is crucial, but they do show up with personality.

Do you agree with the actress's take?

Flynet

16 Comments

ohjeeze 5 years 9 weeks

I agree to a point. I think it might be 50/50 or at least 75/25. Environment and heredity play off each other so much, sometimes its hard to tell which affects which.

JessNess 5 years 10 weeks

I totally agree with her. I think an important point she is making without saying is that if you believe and recognize that your kid is born with a personality already parents will probably back off a bit and let the kid be their own person which is important

megania 5 years 10 weeks

I agree. I mean, I'm sure she pulled 80-20 out of her hat, but I think babies are born with a lot of their personality already intact. "Nurture" is obviously important--incredibly important--but I think "nature" affects how we respond to the "nurture" side of things.

megania 5 years 10 weeks

milosmommy 5 years 10 weeks

I totally agree with her. My son has had his own unique personality that we've seen since day one. I think there are things that can be learned, but you are born with most personality traits.

sarathacoombs 5 years 10 weeks

I agree with Kate b/c I am living prof. My mom died when I was 1 year old and my Dad is the biggest fuck-up you'll ever see!! He did drugs, was never around, you name it he did it. I turned out to be a wonderful wife and mother (not to tot my own horn...but) and I don't do drugs and I was always a really really good kid. I never got into any trouble. So, it had NOTHING to do with they way I was raised. My aunt said I was sweet from day one and I personally think I'm still the same. There were so many ingredients for me to be worthless but I'm a really good person. Thanks God!!

rgrl 5 years 10 weeks

After I met my son I knew certain personality traits right away. He still has those today, and I think he always will. But I believe the environment in which they're raised is very important and affects children in the long run.

gab6784 5 years 10 weeks

I agree with Greggie. I definitely think babies come with their personalities in tack and its up to the parents to help that baby grow into a productive and happy person.

kiwitwist 5 years 10 weeks

I agree with Kate Beckinsale!

kiwitwist 5 years 10 weeks

I agree with Kate Beckinsale!

aanyanka 5 years 10 weeks

I believe that a great deal of behaviour is inherited as opposed to learned. My son has many bahavioural characteristics that I displayed as a child. These are characteristics that he couldn't possibly have learned from me as I haven't behaved in that way since I was a small child. It actually makes it very easy to parent him because I can usually determine what is going on inside of his head by comparing his behaviour and reactions to those I had at his age. He says I'm a mind reader because I always know what he's thinking!

Greggie 5 years 10 weeks

She also says that 20% is crucial, which is where she wins my agreement. You can take a kid with a solid personality and screw him up or keep him stable, but his personality is still there.

Greggie 5 years 10 weeks

I think they're born with a huge portion of their personality, and we shape the rest. I think 80/20 is a good ratio, just that the 20% can sometimes be the most visible. I think twins are a great example. Plus I look at my boys who were raised and treated the same and yet are complete opposites of each other. One has his father's exact personality and one has mine.

Greggie 5 years 10 weeks

alethia037 5 years 10 weeks

I agree with Neural in that it is probably more like 50/50, but I definitely believe that a baby is born with some personality! I have twin nephews who are now 2 years old. Each boy is so different and handle situations very differently. They are both shown the same amount of love and attention, and are both disciplined the same way... yet they each react in terms of the personality they were born with. It is very interesting to watch!

Neural 5 years 10 weeks

I have to strongly disagree. As a therapist, I work with mainly adolescents and I see a direct link, day in and day out (for going on 9 years now!) between the way the parents act and the problems the kids have. I might be willing to go 50/50 nature/nurture but it's certainly not 80/20.

Link Love

16 Comments

You Might Also Like