Another conundrum

[scotsboy]

Reading the Happy Birthday ChobbersJnr thread got me thinking about another age old question…nature or nurture? Are skills, aptitudes and talents bred or learned?

[pultneytooner]

Reading the Happy Birthday ChobbersJnr thread got me thinking about another age old question…nature or nurture? Are skills, aptitudes and talents bred or learned?

So if chobbers was born to a non-musical family, would he have still learnt to play guitar and other instruments?

[Whitewater]

Skills can be taught and developed, but in all great champions, artists etc. there is a natural instinct (or feel for the subject) which can't be taught, and makes the winners/champions/artists great and separates them from the crowd.

[henry20]

Skills can be taught and developed, but in all great champions, artists etc. there is a natural instinct (or feel for the subject) which can't be taught, and makes the winners/champions/artists great and separates them from the crowd.

Thats what I started to write, but ended up 'waffling' and gave up!!

don't think 'bred' comes into it though. Just because you are a great artist, doesn't mean your parents were - just gave you encouragement to succeed!

[erli]

Please keep this thread going, I am studying this subject right now. I would be very interested to read everyones thoughts.

[changilass]

We did an exercise in nature v nurture as part of the adoption process.

We were given an outline of a child, then given a list of attributes, ie height, wieight, hair and eye colour, manners, musical ability etc.

We were then told to put them inside the child if it was nature, outside if nature and on the outline if both.

It was a very interesting exercise that showed just how much influence you could have over a child.

[Mister Squiggle]

I was adopted as a very young baby and bought up in quite a large family.
When I was in my late teens, my biological mother sought contact with me, which was fine by my Mum and Dad.
Physically, we are very similar (height, weight, hair colour, eye colour) and some of my facial mannerisms and physical gestures are the same (or so I have been told!)
Mentally, absolutely not! We are very different individuals and I can't think of one specific talent or attribute which I have inherited from her. We are really very, very different (although we get on OK).
Of course, you then have to consider my biological father ... and my biological grandparents (on both sides) ... I suppose this is where it gets murky, because I have been told that I have the same sense of humour as my biological grandfather, I love reading like my Grandma did etc etc.
So for me, the nature - v- nurture debate is quite a difficult one. I am a lot different from my adoptive family, but not really like my birth one either. I really can't trace any exact "inherited" talent, which probably shows my complete lack thereof!
I'm not sure what all this proves, except that I think we inherit some physical stuff, a little bit of mindset stuff and the rest is what happens to us as we grow and develop. How I was treated as child and my experiences in growing up and living day to day probably had more impact on me than what genetic characteristics were passed on to me.

[Lolabelle]

My father played the record player. We were raised in a home where no one played any instruments, not aunties, uncles, grandparents or anyone else. But my cousin, sister and myself all play. My cousin can play any instrument, but specialises in classical guitar and drums. My sister is a natural musician. I can play guitar and banjo, but I have had to "learn" and would not be considered a natural by any stretch of the imagination.
So as for nature or nurture? Who knows...

[canuck]

I look at my two children, both in their twenties now, both with the same parents but obviously different genetic combinations from those parents. They were both raised in the same household with the same values and very similar life experiences. They went to the same schools, church, summer camp and were influenced by the same relatives and family friends. And they are as different as night and day. Both nature and nuture play a huge role in shaping the person.

[pultneytooner]

I look at my two children, both in their twenties now, both with the same parents but obviously different genetic combinations from those parents. They were both raised in the same household with the same values and very similar life experiences. They went to the same schools, church, summer camp and were influenced by the same relatives and family friends. And they are as different as night and day. Both nature and nuture play a huge role in shaping the person.

It would make for a very dull world if they were both exactly the same.