One reason nurture is more significant than nature is primary socialisation. Primary socialisation occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to the members of a particular culture. When we are born we dont know the norms and values, we are taught them by our primary caregiver, which is usually our mum, or in case one does not have a mum, one of their family members. For example, from the ages of two to three, we learn to walk and talk, which many people would think is a given, but if we didnt have people to teach us these things, then wed be mute and wouldnΒt be able to walk. A great example of this would be feral children, they havent been socialised. Take, for instance, Horst. Horst was a three-year-old boy from Germany whose parents left him home alone for many years to go out drinking and to the disco. Horst was left with his dog Asta, and Asta mothered the child like her own puppy, and after a long period of time Horst was acting like a dog: walking on all fours, growling, peeing with his leg up, eating raw food, and sleeping in the position of a dog. Feral children are perfect examples of socialization, and that behaviour is learnt from a primary caregiver rather than born. Also, another
thing that one is taught at a young age is to eat, and we are taught the norms of eating with knives and forks. From a young age, we start to imitate our surroundings and the people around us.
Further support for nurture, is the influence of peers, or acquaintances, or even strangers. If we take homosexuality for an example, many people would say itΒs a choice, however many sociologists believe that homosexuality is a result of something bad happening and leaving a negative effect, such as sexual assault from a person they loved or a stranger, causing the individual to become homosexual. This is a result of nurture because its not biological, and its something that has been grown upon. Some negative factors of this could be really hurtful and hard for the individual themselves, one may experience extreme homophobia and disapproval from loved ones, which could lead to major issues such as depression, anxiety, mental and physical health disorders, and even suicide. However it still has a lot of positive consequences, it can gain confidence, it could make you more social, and it can make you a lot happier. It has mixed consequences, both negative and positive. This is a great example of nurture but in more of a different concept.