human lifespan development (b1)

Question 1

nature vs nurture

Answer 1

nature

• genes and hereditary factors
• physical appearance
• personality characteristics

nurture

• environmental variables
• childhood experiences
• how we were raised
• social relationships
• surrounding culture

Question 2

nature vs nurture

Answer 2

characteristics determined by genes
- eye colour, hair type, skin colour

characteristics strongly influenced by genes
- height, weight, life expectancy, vulnerability to diseases

characteristics likely influenced by the environment
- personality, behaviour, mental abilities

Question 3

gesell’s maturation theory

Answer 3

• maturation is the genetically programmed sequence of change we all go through in life
• gesell noted that each child moved through the sequence of ‘norms’ of ‘milestones’ at their own pace
• gesell believed development is predetermined, with little influence from the environment. if a child experienced delayed development, then the problem is hereditary not circumstances

Question 4

bandura’s social learning theory (nurture)

Answer 4

attention - paying attention to the model is a condition for learning

retention - remembering what the model did is a condition for imitating behaviour

reproduction - people much have the capacity (skill) for imitating the behaviour

motivation - people must be motivated to imitate behaviour (importance of activity or reward)

Question 5

stress-diathesis model

Answer 5

• this helps to explain how stress caused by life events (nurture) can interact with an individuals genetic vulnerability (nature to impact on their mental well-being
• some people are born with certain genetic predispositions to a mental illness (diathesis)
• may not develop disorders if they don’t experience stress
• stressful events can trigger onset for those with predisposition
• diathesis = a predisposition/vulnerability to mental disorder through abnormality of the brain or neuro-transmitters