Nature/nurture

Question 1

What does the nature debate suggest?

Answer 1

• all human characteristics are innate
• psychological factors such as intelligence and personality are determined by biology, just as physical characteristics are

Question 2

What does the nurture debate suggest?

Answer 2

• John Locke - we are a born as a blank slate, and shaped by experiences
• development is influenced by the conditions in which the child grows up

Question 3

What does the interactionist approach suggest?

Answer 3

• environment and heredity interact

Question 4

What does the diathesis-stress model suggest?

Answer 4

• behaviour is caused by biological and environmental vulnerability which is only expressed when coupled with an environmental trigger

Question 5

What is epigenetics?

Answer 5

• The idea that our genetic code can be influenced be experiences
• experiences can leave marks on our DNA which are expressed in our children

Question 6

Adoption studies as a strength

Answer 6

P: the use of adoption studies
E: useful because they separate the influences of nature and nurture.
E: if children behave more similarly to adoptive parents it suggests environment is the greater influence. A meta analysis found that genetic influences account for the 41% of variance in aggression
L: research can separate nature and nurture

Question 7

Counterpoint of adoption studies

Answer 7

P: this approach may be misguided, nature and nurture cannot be pulled apart
E: Plomin - people create their own nurture by actively selecting environments appropriate for their nature
E: an aggressive child will feel more comfortable with children who show similar behaviours
L: it doesn’t make sense to separate nature and nurture

Question 8

Support for Epigenetics as a strength

Answer 8

P: support for epigenetics
E: Dutch hunger winter - women gave birth to lower weight babies. The babies likelihood of developing schizophrenia was twice as likely
E: environmental effects can span generations
L: life experiences of previous generations can leave marks on DNA

Question 9

Real world application as a strength

Answer 9

P: real world application
E: Nestadt - the inheritability of PCD is .76
E: people can be informed on how to decrease the likelihood of developing the disorder
L: this debate is useful on a practical level.