The question of whether our social behaviors come from our instincts or are learned through experience is really important in understanding how we grow and develop. This is part of a bigger debate about nature versus nurture. This debate looks at how much of our behavior is shaped by our genes (nature) and how much is influenced by our surroundings (nurture).

Instinctual Social Behaviors

1. Biological Perspectives:

   • Some scientists believe that many of our social behaviors are built into us because of evolution. This means that behaviors that help us survive and have children have been passed down over time.
   • Studies show that behaving nicely towards others, or altruism, can actually help a group of people survive better. For example, research from Nowak and others in 2000 showed that when people cooperate, their chances of survival as a group go up.

2. Genetic Influence:

   • Research with twins helps us understand how social behaviors might be linked to our genes. A study by Rhee and Waldman in 2002 found that about 40-60% of things like aggression and being antisocial can come from our genetic background.
   • Other studies have found that personality traits, which greatly affect how we interact with others, are also partly inherited. This heritability ranges from 30% to 50%.

Learned Social Behaviors

1. Role of Environment:

   • A theory called social learning, introduced by Albert Bandura, shows how we learn by watching others and copying their actions. For example, kids learn how to behave socially by observing their parents and friends.
   • In a famous study by Bandura in 1977, children who saw aggressive behavior copied that behavior. This showed how powerful learning from others can be.

2. Cultural Impact:

   • Social behaviors can look very different in different cultures, which shows how experiences shape us. For instance, cultures that focus on groups, like many in Asia, encourage harmony within the group. On the other hand, cultures like the United States value personal success.
   • Research by Hofstede also shows that differences in whether a culture is individualistic or collectivistic can affect how people communicate and resolve conflicts.

Conclusion

The nature versus nurture debate shows that our social behaviors are influenced by both our instincts and what we learn from our environment. While genes play a role in shaping some basic behaviors, our surroundings also have a big impact on how we act based on our experiences.

Overall, understanding social behavior requires looking at both biological roots and environmental influences. It’s clear that instincts and learned experiences work together in a complex way throughout our development as humans.