Final answer:
Genetic influences and effects of the environment can both be inherited and have an impact on future generations. The interaction between genes and the environment plays a significant role in shaping who we become. Environmental factors can cause changes in gene expression that are inherited by future generations through epigenetics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Genetic influences are inherited, but the effects of the environment can also be passed down to the next generation. Our genes interact with our environment, and both nature and nurture shape who we become. For example, the child of an NBA player would likely be exposed to basketball from an early age due to their parent's genes, and this environment would support the child's genetic potential.
Additionally, studies have shown that environmental factors can cause changes in gene expression that are inherited by future generations. For instance, pregnant rats exposed to toxins had offspring that suffered from various illnesses, and when those male rat pups grew up and mated, their offspring also experienced the same maladies, despite the pregnant females not being exposed to toxins directly. This suggests that epigenetic patterns of gene expression caused by the toxin in the pups' germ line cells were retained and passed on through generations.
Overall, both genetic influences and environmental effects can be inherited, and there is a complex interaction between nature and nurture that contributes to the traits we inherit.