Nature V Nurture Flashcards
What is the nature versus nurture debate?
The debate about whether human development is influenced more by genetics (nature) or by environment and experiences (nurture).
What is nature (nativism)?
The influence of innate/inherited features on development.
• Based on the assumption that children are genetically pre-programmed.
• They inherit skills, abilities, and behaviours from their parents.
Which theories support the nature perspective?
• Gesell’s maturation theory.
• Bowlby’s attachment theory.
• Chomsky’s theory of the Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
What is nurture (empiricism)?
The influence of the environment and nurturing.
• Based on the assumption that characteristics are acquired and shaped through experiences.
Which theory supports the nurture perspective?
Bandura’s social learning theory.
How did Piaget view the nature versus nurture debate?
Piaget accepted that children develop in a predestined way (stages of cognitive development) but believed that experiences help them develop new concepts.
What is genetic predisposition?
An individual’s genetic predisposition (nature) can be triggered by their environment and life experiences (nurture).
What does the stress-diathesis model explain?
How both nature and nurture play a part in the development of psychological disorders.
What is diathesis in the stress-diathesis model?
A predisposition or vulnerability to mental disorders due to genetic or biological factors (e.g., abnormalities in the brain or neurotransmitters).
What are stresses in the stress-diathesis model?
Traumatic events in a person’s life (e.g., relationships, abuse, or culture) that act as environmental factors.