nature vs nurture

Question 1

If nature had caused her behaviour, then she will have had gene which caused her to have musical talent.

Answer 1

Allele

Question 2

If nurture had caused Héloïse’s behaviour, this would mean that her behaviour was…

Answer 2

determined by her environment.

Question 3

The second debate in psychology is the nature-nurture debate, which is about…

Answer 3

Athe relative contributions of heredity and environment in determining behaviour

Question 4

According to the behaviourist approach, behaviour is…

Answer 4

Dmostly determined by nurture

Question 5

According to the cognitive approach…

Answer 5

Cwe develop schemata by interacting with our environment.
Aheredity determines the structure of our mental processes.

Question 6

We’ve seen a study by… Which found that…

Answer 6

ARipke et al.

Athere were over 100 alleles which were associated with schizophrenia.

Question 7

Question
$5$
. With reference to empirical evidence, explain one example which shows how difficult it can be to test the relative contributions of nature and nurture. [4 marks]

Answer 7

It can be very difficult to test the relative contributions of nature and nurture because the interactions between them are often very complex. For example, Ripke et al. found that there are 100 risk alleles associated with schizophrenia. Since different people will carry a different combination of these risk alleles, it’s very difficult to test a cause and effect relationship between each particular allele, or each combination of alleles, and schizophrenia. It is therefore difficult to determine the overall contribution of heredity to schizophrenia.

Question 8

We don’t know the extent to which someone’s ____ was influenced by their _____ in the first place!

Answer 8

We don’t know the extent to which someone’s environment was influenced by their genes in the first place!

Question 9

A second reason why it’s difficult to test the relative contributions of heredity and environment is that we don’t know the extent to which someone’s environment was influenced by their genes in the first place! This relationship is called a - , and was first theorised by Robert .

Answer 9

A second reason why it’s difficult to test the relative contributions of heredity and environment is that we don’t know the extent to which someone’s environment was influenced by their genes in the first place! This relationship is called a gene - environment correlation , and was first theorised by Robert Plomin .

Question 10

A second reason why it’s difficult to test the relative contributions of nature and nurture on behaviour is…

Answer 10

Cgene-environment correlation.

Question 11

What is the nature-nurture debate about?

Answer 11

Relative contribution.

Question 12

When we look at Zoe’s running skills, the ‘effect of her environment’ is bigger than the ‘effect of her genes.’ However, the effect of her environment depends on…

Answer 12

Bher genes

Question 13

The interactionist approach to nature-nurture says that we should study…

Answer 13

Ahow heredity and environment interact to determine behaviour.

Question 14

The extent to which the girls benefit from their environment depends on their genetic potential. This means that their intelligence is determined by a

Answer 14

The extent to which the girls benefit from their environment depends on their genetic potential. This means that their intelligence is determined by a gene -environment interaction .

Question 15

Gottesman’s research on intelligence is an example of an _____ to the nature-nurture debate.

Answer 15

Gottesman’s research on intelligence is an example of an interactionist approach to the nature-nurture debate.

Question 16

Irving Gottesman’s research on intelligence suggests that…

Answer 16

Aour genes determine our potential intelligence, and our environment determines where we end up within that range.

Question 17

The diathesis-stress model says that the effect of genes on behaviour depends on environmental factors. So, it’s a model of a

Answer 17

gene - environment interaction .

Question 18

The diathesis-stress model is…faces

Answer 18

Aused to understand mental health conditions.

Can example of gene-environment interaction.

Dan interactionist approach to the nature-nurture debate.

Question 19

According to the diathesis-stress model, someone will show symptoms of a psychological disorder only if they have 
_______ a diathesis and enough stress.

Answer 19

both

Question 20

Question
$1$
. What term is used to describe when a person’s genes influence the environment they are exposed to?

Answer 20

Gene environment correlation

Question 21

Question
$2$
. Gene-environment correlations were first theorised by…

Answer 21

Robert Plomin

Question 22

Question
$3$
. Using the example above, explain how a gene-environment correlation works. [5 marks]

Answer 22

A gene-environment correlation is when a person’s genes influence the environment they are exposed to. Hailey and Clarice have inherited different genotypes, which make it easier or harder for them to study for their exam. Hailey spends more time in the library, because she finds studying easy and enjoyable, while Clarice spends more time at the shops, because she finds studying harder and stressful. This shows that the girls’ genes have an impact on the environment that they choose to be in, and therefore on their behaviours.

Question 23

Define the term gene-environment interaction.

Answer 23

When the effect of an environment on a phenotype depends on the genotype

Question 24

Outline two models of gene-environment interactions. [6 marks]

Answer 24

Gene-environment interactions refer to instances where the effect of someone’s environment on their phenotype depends on their genotype. One model of gene-environment interaction is Gottesman’s theory of genetic potential. This theory states that while our genes determine our potential range of abilities, it is our environment that determines where we end up within that range. For example, the extent to which we benefit from our environment may vary, depending on our genes. Another interactionist model is the diathesis-stress model. According to the diathesis-stress model, someone will show symptoms of a psychological disorder only if they have both a diathesis and enough stress. In both cases, outcomes depend not solely on nature or nurture, but on the interaction between them.