Issues & Debates - Nature/Nurture

Question 1

Nature

Answer 1

Behaviours are products of genetic or biological innate factors

Question 2

Nurture

Answer 2

Behaviours are products of their environment (family upbringing, stress, education)

Question 3

Hereditary

Answer 3

Traits carried down/passed through generations

Question 4

Diathesis-stress model

Answer 4

Disorders are caused by interactions between pre-dispositional vulnerabilities & stress (from experiences)

Question 5

Interactionist approach

Answer 5

Combination of nature & nurture shapes behaviour

Question 6

Topics support nature

Answer 6

OCD - SERT & COMT genes
Schz - PCM1 gene, enlarged ventricles
All biopsych

Question 7

Topics support interactionist

Answer 7

Attachment - Maternal deprivation
Social influence - Milgram (authoritarian personality is innate but environmental factors impact)

Question 8

Topics support nurture

Answer 8

Social influence - Asch, Zimbardo, obedience
Schz - Family dysfunction, double binds
Attachment - role of the father

Question 9

Implications of nature/nurture (+)

Answer 9

+ Study support [interactionist] (Maguire - hippocampi volume in taxi drivers larger due to spatial skills & recalling streets they learnt routes of)
+ Study support [nature] (Gottesman - increased concordance rates in genetically similar people)
+ Real-world application
[nature] (OCD - learning it is inherited leads to information on genetic counselling & epigenetics)
[nurture] (differential association theory to explain criminality & apply treatments/management)

Question 10

Consequences of nature/nurture (-)

Answer 10

• Social sensitivity (upbringing is unchangable & causes blame for choosing some of their environments)
• Reductionism (nature does not account for nurture/nurture for nature or free will/behavioural factors)