Final answer:
Nurture refers to an individual's environmental and social experiences that shape their development. It encompasses factors such as culture, family, education, and life experiences, which interact with biological factors in shaping a person's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development throughout their life.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to developmental psychologists, nurture refers to an individual's environmental and social experiences. In the context of the nature versus nurture debate, this includes the external factors such as the guardians, peers, culture, social interactions, and the overall environment that shape an individual's development from infancy through adulthood. Nurture influences our behavior patterns, and it is crucial in understanding how one's 'self' becomes socialized and how one's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development unfolds throughout the lifespan.
An example of nurture impacting development is when a child with a genetic predisposition to a certain temperament is raised in a supportive environment that encourages positive expression, therefore shaping their neural connections and influencing their social behavior. Nurture is not just about the immediate environment, but about the complex interplay between an individual's experiences and their biological development, as seen in cases such as a fetus experiencing different environmental influences due to a mother's diet or exposure to stressors.