• Key Features:

• Title: The Nurture Assumption
• ISBN: 9780684857077
• Language: English

The Nurture Assumption challenges conventional wisdom about the role of parents in shaping their children's personalities, arguing that peer influence is a more powerful factor in determining development. It explores the implications of this theory for parenting practices and societal beliefs, examining research and proposing alternative models of child development. The book suggests that children primarily learn how to behave in the world from their peers, rather than their parents. Parental influence is significant, but primarily in choosing the environments (and therefore the peer groups) their children are exposed to. This perspective encourages a re-evaluation of common parenting strategies, suggesting that focusing on providing positive peer environments may be more beneficial than directly attempting to mold a child's personality. The book's central thesis has sparked considerable debate and offers a thought-provoking alternative to traditional views on child development.