Nature Vs Nurture

Question 1

Nature:

Answer 1

• The nature debate originates from the philosophical view of nativism which was first discussed by Rene Descante
• The view that human characteristics are all innate and behaviour, thoughts and emotions are all inherited from our parents
• There is not much we can learn from the environment to change that - all our knoweldge and abilities eventually manifest themselves as we biologically mature into the product of our genes.

Question 2

What is nativism:

Answer 2

first discussed by Rene Descante
- The view that human characteristics are all innate and behaviour, thoughts and emotions are all inherited from our parents

Question 3

Nurture:

Answer 3

• The nurture debate: believes in the concept “tabula rasa” which means that we are born as a blank slate on which our experiences (from our environment) go on to shape our behaviour (John Locke)
• The nurture debate comes from the philosphical idea of empiricism which is the idea that experiences can only be gained from our senses and so genes have little impact on our behaviour as they are hard to observe through senses

Question 4

Role of empiricism:

Answer 4

the idea that experiences can only be gained from our senses and so genes have little impact on our behaviour as they are hard to observe through senses

Question 5

The Interactionist Approach:

Answer 5

• The idea that nature and nurture’s influence cannot be separated. Both affect behaviour by interacting with each other.
• The diathesis-stress model
• Epigenetics

Question 6

• The diathesis-stress model

Answer 6

suggests that genes alone cannot lead to acquiring a behaviour. Rather, there msut also be an environmental trigger.

Question 7

• Epigenetics

Answer 7

Process of a change in genetic activity without a change in genetic code.
- occuras when lifestyle / experiences leave a ‘mark’ on DNA
- these marks tell our body which genes to ignore and which to use and this influences expression of genetic code of our children and following generations.
- this shows that beh is a result of both environmental and inherited factors

Question 8

Evals:

Answer 8

• supporting evidence for nature
• supporting evidence for nurture
• supporting evidence for interactionist ideas like epigenetics
• supporting evidence for interactionist ideas like the diathesis-stress model

Question 9

A strength of the nature argument= supporting evidence.

Answer 9

Family, twin and adoption studies show that the closer two individuals are genetically, the more likely that both of them will develop the same behaviours. E.g. the concordance rate for schizophrenia is about 40% for MZ twins and 7% for DZ twins. SB: shows that as the proportion of shared genes increases, so does the likelihood of shared behaviour, therefore showing that behaviour is determined by inherited factors. Increase validity of the nature argument.

Question 10

A strength of the nurture argument= supporting evidence.

Answer 10

Behaviourists assume that all behaviour can be explained in terms of experience alone. Pavlov and Skinner used the concepts of classical and operant conditioning to explain learning. E.g. behaviourists suggest that behaviours such as attachments could be explained in terms of classical conditioning. They argue that infants learn to associate the pleasure from food with the caregiver, leading to an attachment to them. Thus showing how environment does have an influence on behaviour. Therefore increasing validity of nurture side of the debate.

Question 11

A strength of interactionist approach is that interactionist ideas like epigenetics have been supported by evidence.

Answer 11

E.g. Dias and Ressler gave male lab mice electric shocks every time they were exposed to the smell of acetophenone (a chemical used in perfume). Led to the mice showing fear when they smelt the scent. Mice’s offspring and their offspring also feared the smell - even tho they had not been exposed to acetophenone before or recieved any shocks. SB: shows that the environmental experience of shocks led to leaving a ‘mark’ on their genetic code. This mark led to activation of certain genetic code and a subsequent behavioural display of that code. Thus, its clear that both env and inherited factors influence beh. Adding validity to the interactionist view of beh.

Question 12

A strength of interactionist approach is that there is also support for interactionist ideas like the diathesis-stress model.

Answer 12

E.g. Tienari et al found that in a group of Finnish adoptees those most likely to develop schizophrenia had both biological parents with a history of the disorder (vulnerability) coupled with relationships with their adoptive families that were defined as ‘dysfunctional’ (trigger). SB: shows that behaviour is in fact a result of both genetic/inherited AND environmental factors. Thus showing that in order to truly understand behaviour, one cannot solely focus on just one side of the debate. Increase validity of interactionist view of behaviour.