nature - nurture

Question 1

The nature-nurture debate

Answer 1

Considers the relative importanceof heredity & environment, in explaining behaviour
Are behaviours caused by innate factors(nature) or experience (nurture)

Question 2

Nurture = Environment

Answer 2

an influence on human behaviour that is non-genetic

Ranges from pre-natal influences in the womb to cultural influences

Can also include biological such as the food you eat, influencing growth and mental development

This became an important view of the Behaviourists

Question 3

Interactionist approach

Answer 3

Includes both biological and psychological factors that influence behaviour

These factors combine in non-predictable ways

Epigenetics refers to changing activity of genes, without the genes themselves changing –happens throughout life & is caused by interaction with the environment

Question 4

The influence of nature

Answer 4

Refers to innate influences at birth & abilities / behaviours / conditions, determined by genes..

Genetic explanations:
Family studies show behaviour is more likely to be similar if you are biologically related
Studies of MZ twins show high concordance for many behaviours eg schizophrenia.
This suggests a biological component to behaviour .

Evolutionary explanations
Assumes behaviour giving an adaptive advantage will be naturally selected & passed on in the genes.
Bowlby proposed attachment to be adaptive –why?

Question 5

influence of nurture

Answer 5

Social learning theory (Bandura) agreed that behaviour could be learned directly through conditioning, but also said it can be learned “vicariously”
Bandura acknowledged biological influences eg believing we all have the biological ability to be aggressive, but we only do so if we see the behaviour modelled.

Other psychological explanations for behaviours are based on nurture eg the “Double bind” theory of schizophrenia believes it is due to mixed & conflicting messages children receive.

Question 6

The interactionist approach

Answer 6

Both nature & nurture play a role in behaviour
Eg Fear response is innate, & conditioning changes the circumstances in which it’s displayed (Little Albert)
Interactionist approach embraced by Health Psychologists who consider biological, psychological & social processes
Maguire (2000): hippocampus in taxi drivers larger due to spatial activities engaged in (brain is plastic)

Question 7

Epigenetics

Answer 7

Refers to a change in our genetic activity, without the genes themselves changing

This happens through interaction with the environment & happens throughout life

Aspects of our lives eg smoking, leave marks on our genes (DNA) which can switch genes on or off

Explains why actions such as smoking can have a life-long influence even after we stop

These epigenetic changes can go on & influence our childrens genes

Epigenetics therefore introduces a 3rd element to the nature-nurture debate

Question 8

Measuring Nature & Nurture

Answer 8

The measure of similarity between 2 people is represented by a correlation coefficient

This is known as the concordance for a given behaviour

It shows the extent to which a trait is inherited = heritability

The differences between people in a population, for any given trait, that’s due to genetics

Eg 0.01 (1%) suggests very little genetic contribution but 1.00 (100%) would suggest completely genetic

Question 9

evaluation:
Strengths of the research

Answer 9

Adoption studies disentangle nature from nurture, however, it’s argued that we choose our environment according to our “nature” egpredisposition to offending behaviour will draw to other offenders

Question 10

Evaluation
Real world application

Answer 10

Research into OCD has shown a strong genetic component meaning those from high risk families can receive interventions before the disorder starts, to learn ways of avoiding triggers etc.

Question 11

Further evaluation – interactionist view

Answer 11

Could it be that looking strictly at either nature OR nurture is false dichotomy – it is often presented in a way that leads us to expect to be able to answer one way or the other.

However, it’s likely that most behaviours are a result of some innate tendencies that are refined, as a consequence of our interaction with the environment.

Scientifically, we should be careful not to look for evidence FOR one, at the expense of the other & some early research could be criticised as falling into that trap. The more contemporary view is that of the “Interactionist” view