Summary of Role of Heredity

by Yuvi - November 8, 2020

Role of Heredity

Influence of physical development:

Karl Pearson is of the view that the height of the child is influenced by the height of his parents.

Influence on character:

Dugdale states that children of characterless parents are generally characterless. He proved this statement by conducting Juke family study.

Influence on innate powers:

Thorndike is of the opinion that innate powers of the child are determined by heredity.

Influence of Intelligence:

According to Goddard, intelligence is inherited. Children of those parents who posses superior intelligence are generally bright ad children of feeble-minded parents posses low intelligence.

Influence on greatness:

Galton is of the view that greatness is caused due to heredity. Studies of the life histories of eminent scientists, artists, doctors, politicians and lawyers shows that many members of these families attained reputation and eminence in the same fields

Summary of Environment

Influence on physical development:

Franz Boaz believe that differences in physique among the different races are caused due to environment and not due to heredity.

Influence on intellectual development:

From the case of Ramu, Amala and Kamala, it is proved that intellectual development suffers in the absence of suitable social and cultural environment.

Influence on different races:

Clark is the view that the cause of superior intelligence of the races is environment and not heredity. He believe that Negros are less intelligent than whites because they do not get social, cultural environment like the white people.

Influence on total personality:

Cooley and many other thinkers have proved that the individual can become great by developing his personality while living in good environment.

Influence on Orphans:

Woodworth assets that those orphan children who are given suitable environment in the orphanages prove better on the whole than their parents.

Conclusion

At the end, we can say that Heredity and environment both are significant factors in the development of personality. If heredity is the base, environment is the structure. If heredity is the seed, environment is the soil. If heredity is the soul, environment is the body. As we cannot separate the soul from the body in a living human being, so we cannot separate the heredity from environment.

Thus heredity and environment are complementary