k slates' and that our social identity is not present at birth. In order for us to grow and thrive in our own world, the process of socialisation is essential for a human being.
             One may say that the 'physical self' at birth is determined by our genes. These cannot be changed and are fixed. Genes are not a social construction and are biologically determined. Hence; human beings are born male or female and are born of different races, for example. These factors are not determined in any form by society.
             In the above narrative, Malson refers to the 'mental self'. That being: something that is not pre-determined. The mental self has to be constructed through society and social interaction. Thus, Malson believes that nearly all of what we are about derives from social construction. Studies have indicated that the early environment into which a child is born and raised may be critical for his or her future development into a socially adapted adult. This 'social learning theory' teaches humans to 'fit in' to the environment and adapt through social development, (Dollard & Miller, 1950).
             One may say that it is difficult to illustrate and produce concrete answers for the nature/nurture debate. Malson suggests that it is difficult to divide what is nature or what is nurture - or, in other words, what is cultural. The nature/nurture debate illustrates Malson's point very well, in that it is not possible to give hard evidence about what is indeed nature and what is nurture. We may gain an insight, however, into this argument by showing examples of people who have suffered cultural deprivation (e.g. feral or wild children, explained further in question b).
             Another important point is that it is quite a difficult task to discover if behaviour is innate or learned. Past research suggests that the behaviour of an infant is difficult to determine because an infant's abilities are only realised several weeks after birth, and therefo...