Abstract:
Given the remaining prominence of nature vs. nurture debate in academia and society, this article discusses environmental and genetic influences on the genesis of behavior. For this purpose, we first present the definition of behavior and discuss the imprecision in its characterization. Next, we examine the main differences between behaviorist and ethological thinking and their impact on research and on the support of eugenic discourses. To conclude, the article discusses a non-dichotomous approach to behavior based on the Developmental Systems Theory framework to overcome such dualism.
Keywords:
behavior; nature; nurture; Ethology; behaviorism