nature vs nurture Flashcards
If nature had caused her behaviour, then she will have had gene which caused her to have musical talent.
Allele
If nurture had caused Héloïse’s behaviour, this would mean that her behaviour was…
determined by her environment.
The second debate in psychology is the nature-nurture debate, which is about…
Athe relative contributions of heredity and environment in determining behaviour
According to the behaviourist approach, behaviour is…
Dmostly determined by nurture
According to the cognitive approach…
Cwe develop schemata by interacting with our environment.
Aheredity determines the structure of our mental processes.
We’ve seen a study by… Which found that…
ARipke et al.
Athere were over 100 alleles which were associated with schizophrenia.
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]
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.
We don’t know the extent to which someone’s ____ was influenced by their _____ in the first place!
We don’t know the extent to which someone’s environment was influenced by their genes in the first place!
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 .
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 .
A second reason why it’s difficult to test the relative contributions of nature and nurture on behaviour is…
Cgene-environment correlation.
What is the nature-nurture debate about?
Relative contribution.
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…
Bher genes
The interactionist approach to nature-nurture says that we should study…
Ahow heredity and environment interact to determine behaviour.
The extent to which the girls benefit from their environment depends on their genetic potential. This means that their intelligence is determined by a
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 .
Gottesman’s research on intelligence is an example of an _____ to the nature-nurture debate.
Gottesman’s research on intelligence is an example of an interactionist approach to the nature-nurture debate.
Irving Gottesman’s research on intelligence suggests that…
Aour genes determine our potential intelligence, and our environment determines where we end up within that range.
The diathesis-stress model says that the effect of genes on behaviour depends on environmental factors. So, it’s a model of a
gene - environment interaction .
The diathesis-stress model is…faces
Aused to understand mental health conditions.
Can example of gene-environment interaction.
Dan interactionist approach to the nature-nurture debate.
According to the diathesis-stress model, someone will show symptoms of a psychological disorder only if they have _______ a diathesis and enough stress.
both
Question
$1$
. What term is used to describe when a person’s genes influence the environment they are exposed to?
Gene environment correlation
Question
$2$
. Gene-environment correlations were first theorised by…
Robert Plomin
Question
$3$
. Using the example above, explain how a gene-environment correlation works. [5 marks]
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.
Define the term gene-environment interaction.
When the effect of an environment on a phenotype depends on the genotype
Outline two models of gene-environment interactions. [6 marks]
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.
