nature vs. nurture Flashcards
What is nature?
biology e.g., genetics
What does the nature side of the debate argue?
that behaviour is innate and due to biological factors
What are the key parts to the nature debate?
- behaviour is predisposed due to DNA
- influenced by genetic inheritance
- biological clock through maturation
What is Nurture?
environment e.g., upbringing
What does the nurture side of the debate argue?
that behaviour is due to the environment you are in as behaviour is learnt
What are the key parts to the nurture debate?
- experiences
- behaviour is a product of learning
- interaction with the environment effects behaviour
- at birth the mind is tabula rasa
What does tabula rasa mean?
refers to the mind as a blank slate
How does the nurture side of the debate link to tabula rasa?
that experiences build upon the blank slate and that causes behaviour
What is the middle ground for the debate called?
interactionism
What is interactionism?
that behaviour is caused by the interaction of nature and nurture
What are the key studies that side with the nature debate?
- Baron Cohen
- Sperry
What are the key studies that side with the nurture debate?
- Milgram
- Levine
- Chaney
What are the key studies that link to the interactionist side of the debate?
- Freud
- Blakemore and Cooper
What areas of psychology side with nature?
- biological approach
- psychodynamic perspective
What areas of psychology side with nurture?
- social area
- behaviourist perspective
- developmental area
