Nature VS Nurture

Question 1

Whats Nature?

Answer 1

The claim that characteristics, such as personality, intelligence, abnormality, etc., are caused by
innateinfluences

Question 2

Whats Nurture?

Answer 2

as the influence of external factors after conception. This approach is
known as empiricist e.g., the product of exposure, life experiences and learning on an individual.

Question 3

A03 - Constructivism - genes and environment interact Plomin

Answer 3

• The notion that genes and environment interact is elaborated by constructivism.
• People create their own nurture by actively selecting environments that are appropriate for their nature

-Thus, a naturally aggressive child is likely to feel more comfortable around children who show similar behaviours and will choosetheir environment accordingly. This environment then affects their development.

Plomin (1994) refers to this as niche-picking and niche-building
-Questions a hard stance for either is wrong

Question 4

A03 - Application through therapy for both

Answer 4

-There is strong evidence that biological factors influence behavior.
- For example, drug therapies like SSRIs are effective in treating depression in about 60% of patients.
-Similar success has been observed with other medications that regulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, alleviating symptoms of conditions such as depression and schizophrenia.

-On the other hand, environmental influences are also well-documented.
- For instance, John Watson’s Little Albert study demonstrated that phobias can be learned through classical conditioning.
- Based on this, behaviorist treatments like systematic desensitization have been developed.
-Denholt’s research showed that systematic desensitization remained effective for 60% of individuals treated for a fear of flying, even 3 ½ years later.

-While a strict “nature vs. nurture” perspective may not apply to all areas of psychology, both biological and environmental approaches have proven successful in specific cases.

Question 5

A03 - Interactionist Approach - Innate Temprament

Answer 5

• The idea that we are solely shaped by either biology or environment is often seen as too simplistic.
  -The interactionist approach argues that many behaviors, such as attachment patterns between infants and parents, result from a “two-way street.”
  -For example, a child’s innate temperament can influence how parents respond to them, and these parental responses, in turn, shape the child’s behavior (Belsky and Rovine, 1987).
  -This shows that nature and nurture are interconnected—nature creates nurture as heredity and environment interact.