Paper Option #1 Nature/Nurture
Developmental science focuses on the various contributions to development, and whether they lean toward the genetic side of things (nature) or environmental (nurture). Choose from one of the following topics discussed in the modules:
Eating disorders
For this paper, review the module material on your specific topic. Then, write a paper describing in detail the “nature†(primarily genetic, inherited) contributions to this condition as well as the “nurture†contributions. You will need to conduct Internet research and cite the sources to obtain additional information on your topic. For example, explaining the inherited reasons for a child to be obese will require that you visit, read, summarize, and cite medical sites on the Internet. It is crucial that you rephrase material in your own words and cite it or put phrases from the sources in quotation marks and cite them. No more than a few sentences should be directly quoted in order for you to receive credit for writing this paper (in other words, no credit is given for a paper that is a string of other people’s quotes). As a general rule of thumb, at least 1.5 pages should focus on \”nature\” contributions to the issue at hand and at least 1.5 pages should focus on \”nurture\” contributions.
Your research must include at least two journal articles or books. Websites can be very helpful and informative, but your final paper must include full, published research articles or books on the topic. Sources should be reputable and consistent with what you learned in the module as well as other sources. GoogleScholar and PDF articles from the Internet can be helpful resources. Make sure you use good search terms when trying to find articles. You may want to start broad (for example, bystander effect), and then narrow to your particular area. This paper requirement means that you need to include at least two primary sources in your paper; articles from the Internet can be included, but they would be in addition to the two minimum primary sources. Primary sources are firsthand accounts; thus, they involve the author writing about his or her own work.
It is recommended that you spend at least a page and a half discussing nature for this topic and a page and at least a half discussing nurture. Finally, conclude the paper by indicating which side (nature, nurture) gives the strongest contribution to this condition or whether they are both needed. For example, for child obesity, is genetics alone a sufficient cause for a child to be obese, or are poor eating habits necessary along with a genetic predisposition? The paper should follow the following format:
I. Introduction. Introduce your topic.
II. Description and research on nature components
III. Description and research on nurture components
IV. Evaluation: which side (nature, nurture) most strongly contributes?
Nature/Nurture: Eating Disorders
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Introduction
Eating disorders have become more prevalent in Western cultures. For example, in the U.S., the lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa is 0.9 percent while that of bulimia is 1.5 percent for the female population and approximately 0.5 percent for males. Binge eating disorder is also common with an eating disorder of about 3.5 percent of the population. These disorders often begin at the adolescence stage and often extend to adulthood (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022). Eating disorders have negative physical impacts such as malnutrition, dehydration, and heart problems. They also result in psychological impacts such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. It is important to understand the causes of eating disorders to provide effective treatment for patients (Salafia et al., 2015). The purpose of this essay is to assess the nature and nurture of eating disorders to facilitate an understanding of factors that increase the risk of developing them.
Description and research on “nature” components
Nature components consider the genetics behind the development of eating disorders. According to Pinheiro (2010), eating disorders have a genetic component since they run in families. For example, first-degree relatives of people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa have ten times higher lifetime risk of developing the disorder when compared to relatives of unaffected people. Additionally, an anorexia diagnosis increases the risk of developing other eating disorders such as bulimia among immediate family members.
Twin studies that illustrate the link between genes and the risk of developing various illnesses indicate that genetic factors contribute to eating disorders. Identical twins possess identical DNAs which indicate that they have similar genetic variants. Twin studies estimate the heritability of anorexia nervosa to be approximately 58 percent and that of bulimia is estimated to be between 54 percent and 83 percent. For binge eating disorders, the heritability estimate ranges from 41 percent to 57 percent (Thornton et al., 2013).
Studies that focus on molecular genetics indicate that the pathogenesis of eating disorders can be attributed to alterations in gene expressions or the deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. Eating disorders are linked to serotonergic genes, dopaminergic genes, opioidergic genes, and appetite regulation genes (Trace et al., 2013). In a study that assessed the association between eating disorders and the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene, Castellini et al. (2012) determined that the S-allele contained in the 5-HTTLPR genotype is associated with increased risk for anorexia nervosa and depression. Trace et al. (2013) add that patients with bulimia demonstrate abnormalities in serotonergic genes including peripheral 5-HT uptake. In appetite regulation genes, there is a significant association between bulimia and either the Leu72Met or the Arg51Gln polymorphism of the ghrelin gene.
Some people inherit traits such as perfectionism, fear, moodiness, and anxiety which can lead to the development of eating disorders. Perfectionism maintains eating disorders since it promotes bingeing, dieting, and purging especially when combined with other traits such as low self-esteem (Trace et al., 2013).
Description and research on “nurture” components
Nurture components include environmental factors associated with eating disorders. Environmental risk factors include individual and socio-cultural risk factors. Individuals who experience emotional, physical, or sexual abuse are at a high risk of developing eating disorders. Many cultures play a significant role in the development of eating disorders. The Western culture specifically depicts having a thin figure as the ideal body size hence in many countries such as Singapore and Japan, anorexia nervosa is a common disorder. In the U.S., Mexican immigrants demonstrate high rates of binge eating disorders because they encounter a culture that values leanness and may be pressured to conform to such ideals (Rikani et al., 2013).
Families also play a significant role in the development of eating disorders. For instance, in families where parents demonstrate body dissatisfaction and engage in extreme dieting behavior, children are also likely to emulate such behavior. Weight teasing from parents, siblings, and other family members lead to low self-esteem which may lead to disordered eating. Additionally, children who grow up in homes characterized by extreme parental control, hostility, critical comments, and negation of their emotional needs are at higher risk of developing these disorders (Salafia et al., 2015).
Peer influence also plays a significant role in the development of eating disorders. For instance, people may be influenced to conform to specific cultural ideals. Girls, in particular, learn disordered eating behaviors from their peers, especially when through conversations about remaining thin through dieting. Romantic partners may also facilitate the development of eating disorders by making negative comments about their partners’ appearance and emphasizing weight loss. Eating disorders are also common among individuals in some sports and modeling careers where leanness is regarded as desirable (Rikani et al., 2013).
Evaluation
Both sides, nature, and nurture contribute to the development of eating disorders. Although genetic factors may predispose some individuals to develop eating disorders, they work together with environmental factors to increase the risk of these disorders. For example, an individual whose mother was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa may encounter triggers such as sexual abuse or peer pressure that may lead to the development of the disorder.
References
Castellini, G., Ricca, V., Lelli, L., Bagnoli, S., Lucenteforte, E., & Faravelli, C. (2012). Association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and eating disorders outcome: A 6-year follow-up study. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 159B(5), 491-500. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32052
National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Eating Disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/eating-disorders.
Rikani, A., Choudhry, Z., Maqsood Choudhry, A., Ikram, H., Waheed Asghar, M., & Kajal, D. et al. (2013). A critique of the literature on the etiology of eating disorders. Annals of Neurosciences, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.5214/ans.0972.7531.200409
Salafia, E., Jones, M., Haugen, E., & Schaefer, M. (2015). Perceptions of the causes of eating disorders: a comparison of individuals with and without eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-015-0069-8
Thornton, L., Mazzeo, S., & Bulik, C. (2013). The Heritability of Eating Disorders: Methods and Current Findings. Behavioral Neurobiology of Eating Disorders, 141-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2010_91
Trace, S., Baker, J., Peñas-Lledó, E., & Bulik, C. (2013). The Genetics of Eating Disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9(1), 589-620. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185546