Final answer:
The importance of environment and heredity in human development is encapsulated by the 'nature versus nurture' debate, which acknowledges the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors in shaping human behavior and traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relative importance of environment and heredity in human development is central to the debate over nature versus nurture. This discussion examines the influences of both biological factors, such as genetics, and social factors, such as environmental surroundings and cultural experiences, in shaping human behavior and traits. As it stands, the consensus within both the natural sciences and social sciences is that both nature and nurture play integral roles in human development. Although the emphasis may vary between disciplines and within them, there is a broad agreement that there is an interaction between our genetic makeup and our environment.
Sociobiology links genes with behaviors and enforces the notion that many aspects of behavior, including social interactions, can be explained predominantly by genetic factors. In contrast, the nurture side of the debate, typically emphasized by sociologists, stresses the impact of societal influences on human behavior. Overall, even as the dialog continues regarding the particular contributions of nature and nurture, it is widely acknowledged that our traits and personalities are the products of a complex interplay between our inherited biology and our environmental experiences.