Nature & Nurture

Question 1

Nature

Answer 1

The degree to which human behaviour is determined by genetics/ biology

Question 2

Nurture

Answer 2

The degree to which human behaviour is a result of learned environmental influences

Question 3

Interactionalist

Answer 3

Belief that both nature and nurture are essential and influence each other eg diathesis stress model

Question 4

Nativists

Answer 4

Support nature views, they believe human characteristics are innate meaning they are a result of genetics and biology

Question 5

Empricists

Answer 5

Support a nurture view - environmental factors make up our characteristics and knowledge

Question 6

Examples of pre-natal influences on a person

Answer 6

Mums consumption of alcohol, drugs, diet, coffee intake

Question 7

Examples of post natal influences on a person

Answer 7

Social conditions, economic stats, way in which parented

Question 8

Examples of inherited influences on criminal behaviour

Answer 8

Brain abnormalities

Question 9

Examples of environmental influences on criminal behaviour

Answer 9

Upbringing, peers and relationships with others

Question 10

Support for nature view

Answer 10

Seligman when suggesting we acquire phobias through genetic preparedness

Question 11

Nature view

Answer 11

Mowrer when suggesting 2 process model of phobia acquisition and maintainance

Question 12

Nature influence on attachment

Answer 12

Child’s innate temperament influences parents response to child

Question 13

Nurture influence on attachment

Answer 13

Parents response influenced by child’s behaviour and expression of their temperament

Question 14

How do twin studies giving insight

Answer 14

Help determine relative contribution to nature and nurture of a bahevaiour. Psychologists look st monozygotic and dyzigotic twins to help establish concordance rates of certain behaviours
- higher concordance rates for monozygotic therefore we can assume behaviour has a genetic basis

Question 15

Heritability coefficient

Answer 15

Is a tool used to classify the extent to which a bahveiour is caused by genetics ranging from 0-, the closer to 1, the higher the genetic component

Question 16

Example heritability coefficient

Answer 16

The coefficient for IQ is 0.5 suggesting environment and genetics are both important factors in intelligence

Question 17

Current nature nurture debate

Answer 17

You can separate nature nurture so may as well look at them separately and how they interact. Current research looks at how much behaviour is determined by genes or environment and how they produce a given behaviour

Question 18

Example of nature nurture combining benefits

Answer 18

Biological vulnerability + environmental trigger = schizophrenia

Question 19

Scarr and McCartney 3 types of interaction

Answer 19

Passive interaction, evocative interaction, active interaction

Question 20

Passive interaction

Answer 20

The association between the genotype and child inherits from their parents and the environment in which the child is raised

Question 21

Evocative environment

Answer 21

The association between an individuals genetically influenced behaviour and the others reactions to the behaviour

Question 22

Active interaction

Answer 22

The association between individual genetic prosperities and the environmental niches they select

Question 23

Strength of research methodology

Answer 23

Good insight into role of nature/ nurture, teds study has string methodology because large sample size and longitudinal, helps predicts diseases and develop techniques

Question 24

Weakness of research methods

Answer 24

Practical drawbacks into using twin studies, ongoing funding needed, financial costs leads to lack of large samples - hard to follow ps over long period of time. Don’t have deep understanding and shouldn’t use this research to get accurate picture

Question 25

Historical debate weakness

Answer 25

Too simplistic, more meaningful to look at how they interact as a two way process, researchers found support for diathesis stress model for schizophrenia where people have genetic predisposition but get environmental trigger, modern interactionalist debate gives greater insight

Question 26

Strength of current/ interactionlaist debate

Answer 26

Benefits for society, recognition of environmental and inherited influences better understanding of acceptance of crime. Led to effective treatments for mental disorders by accepting more than one influence on behaviour