Post #5: The Effect of Social Distancing on Society

With the ongoing anxiety regarding the corona virus pandemic, American medical professionals have given the nation advice as to how to stop the rapid spread of the virus. While some actions are basic, such as washing your hands frequently, some are more intense. An example of this is the practice of social distancing. Social distancing is the practice of avoiding large gatherings and close contact of others. This means that restaurants, sporting events, and schools (as we are all aware) are being temporarily closed. While this can be a very efficient way o stop the spread of the virus, it can have unprecedented side effects on our society.

As more people begin to distance themselves from each other, a sense of social isolation will begin to form. Humans are a naturally social species, so being separated from each other for long periods of time can prove to be harmful. According to Science Magazine (https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/we-are-social-species-how-will-social-distancing-affect-us), "Over long periods of time, social isolation can increase the risk of a variety of health problems, including heart disease, depression, dementia, and even death." In fact, certain individuals, such as those with chronic illnesses or those who already suffer from feelings of loneliness, are more susceptible to suffer from these effects.

Not only are we affected by this pandemic on an individual basis, but our society as a whole also has the potential to suffer from these circumstances. As I stated earlier, large gatherings of people will be temporarily postponed. Therefore, events such as sports gatherings will not be taking place for at least a few months. Because events like this provide people with a sense of togetherness, this may cause people to feel less of a sense of a community within their respective activities. For example, us seniors in high school may not get to have their senior prom, which a lot of students look forward to throughout all of high school. This may cause students to feel apathetic about the rest of their high school experience due to the lack of a sense of community.

While their are plenty of negatives that could come with social distancing, some aspects of this practice could have positive results as well. For example, turnouts in social events after the pandemic is over could prove to be even bigger and more spectacular than ever before. This could also allow people to value human interaction more. There are many more positives that could come out of this situation, but it is most important for us to stay optimistic for the future.

Post #4: Family Influences

One of the most common debates within the sociology community is that of nature vs. nurture. In other words, do our genetics or our environment determine out behaviors. While plenty of people like to choose a side, I tend to thing that our behaviors are determined by a mix of nature and nurture.

As a child, we are first socialized by our family. This means that our family not only contributes to our genes, but also provide our first experiences. Because of this, our family has a huge impact in our early developmental behavior. However, once the child progresses into their elementary school years and beyond, they are socialized with people outside of their own family and are given the opportunity to develop new behaviors and opinions. This opens up the possibility of nurture having a bigger impact on their behaviors.

Looking at the facts listed above, it would be easy to conclude that nurture provides a bigger impact on behavior, but I don't believe this is the case mostly because of genetic disorders. Mental disorders which run in families, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, can majorly impact someone's behavior and personality. Because of this, no matter how they are socialized by exterior elements, their genetics still strongly influence their behavior. Along with this, we also tend to inherit personality traits from our family members, even if they are very minor. For example, I inherited being an introvert from my dad, Along with this, I also developed a love for animals from my mom. However, the latter could be debated as a product of nurture since I was raised around so many animals.

As you can see, the line between nature and nurture can also be a blurry one. Am I empathetic because my mom is or because I learned to be empathetic towards others because of my experiences? This line makes it even more difficult to decide whether nature or nurture has a greater impact on behavior.

All in all, I believe that both nature and nurture can equally impact our personalities and behaviors. Without one or the other, we wouldn't be able to be properly socialized.