nature/nurture Flashcards
1
Q
nature
A
suggests that
behaviour is the result of
innate, biological factors
2
Q
nurture
A
suggests that
behaviour is influenced by
our upbringings and
learned from the
environment around us and
lifetime experiences
3
Q
studies that are nature
A
- Moray - our ability to attend to different
auditory messages is the result of innate
brain processes - Kohlberg - argues that we go through
stages of moral development as we get
older which are universal and not
influenced by cultural differences
(therefore likely to be based on nature)
4
Q
studies that are nurture
A
- Blakemore and Cooper – shows the
impact of early visual experience even on
biological factors (the orientation of visual
neurons) - Lee - cultural differences DO impact
children’s moral development (e.g.
differences between Chinese and
Canadian children as a result of learning
about modesty)
5
Q
strengths of research being nature
A
- Could be useful in suggesting genetic
modification and other biological treatments
for disorders - Probably not ethnocentric as biological
factors would be the same across cultures - It can be scientific in the way that it explains
behaviour.
6
Q
weakness of research being nature
A
- problem someone cannot change about
themself - Limited usefulness as it is difficult to change
someone’s genetics - It is reductionist to explain behaviour as
resulting from simple biological processes
7
Q
strengths of research being nurture
A
- Provides some support for free will as, unlike
nature, it is possible to change nurture. - Practical applications as it suggests that
behaviour can be influenced by a child’s
upbringing, making it more useful
8
Q
weakness of research being nurture
A
- Could be ethnocentric as cultures will differ in
how they bring children up - It might be socially sensitive if it leads to
parents being blamed for children’s negative
behaviours
