Nature Vs Nurture debate

Question 1

Define what is meant by a nativist.

Answer 1

omeone who supports the role of nature and believes that behaviour and cognition are innate.

Question 2

Whats a political example of nativism?

Answer 2

Nazi party → stated eugenics was necessary

Question 3

Define what is menat by empiricist?

Answer 3

Someone who supports the role of nurture and believes a behaviour and cognition result from experience and learning.

Question 4

Give a political example of an empiricist

Answer 4

Stalin Russia - brutal regime with conditioning behaviour to what is seen as ideal

Question 5

Define relative contribution

Answer 5

the debate nowadays is on how much each influences us not which.

Question 6

Define heritability coefficient

Answer 6

A number between 0-1 which represents the extent to which a trait is inherited with 1 meaning that is entirely genetic.
E.g IQ 0.5 Ploin 1994

Question 7

Key characteristics nature debate

Answer 7

• Innate
• Ability determined by genes and hereditary
• Personality caused by genes

Question 8

Key characteristics nurture debate

Answer 8

• Developed through experience
• Abilities determined by environmental factors and subject to exposure and training

Question 9

What are the two examples of nature theoretical perspectives

Answer 9

1. behaviourism
2. social learning theory

Question 10

Behaviourism theoretical view on nurture debate

Answer 10

Determined be experience alone
* Behaviour acquired through conditioning
Explanation of attachment

Question 11

Social learning theory view on nurture debate

Answer 11

Bandura states behaviour is acquired through learning with a third dimension of Vicarious reinforcement

• Biology may impact urges but concluded that a person learns to express anger through env influences

Question 12

What is meant by epigenetics ?

Answer 12

Epigenetic changes- refer to changes in our genetic activity or expression without changing the underlying genetic code.

This happens due to environmental influence e.g stress,nutrition, smoking cans witch on or switch off genes

Question 13

Outline a supporting study of epigenetics

Answer 13

Dias and Ressler - used mice → using shocks conditioned a fear response to the smell of chemical despite no exposure to conditioning the rats children and grandchildren also displayed fear of the smell

Highlights that experience can influence our genes → relative contribution has become far more complicated → both are linked (interactionist approach)

Question 14

Strengths of nature Vs nuture debate RWA

Answer 14

• Strength of nurture debate RWA
  Showing that phobias caused by conditioning describing as condition fear
  Means unconditioning is possible -> systematic desensitisation/ flooding RWA in treatments

RWA of Nature debate

Evolutionary explanations - emphasis on nature
Bowlby - stated attachment is adaptive for survival - added close attachment fosters successful reproduction → attachment naturally selected through genetics.

Question 15

Explain the importance of the interactionist approach - refer to the diathesis stress model

Answer 15

Appreciation of nature and nurture as factors affecting behaviour - a consensus a[prpach

• Diathesis - stress model → genetic vulnerability and expression of this gene depends on experience in form of a stressor triggering the condition
  Example of in OCD - psychopathology link

An interactionist approach may be needed combining both the factors

Question 16

Explain the strength of interactionist nature can cause nurture

Answer 16

The factors may occur independently o one another
This is shown in Maguire’s taxi study evidising this
Taxi drivers’ hippocampus was affected by the memorisation of routes.

Isolating them may not be the correct view as they in fact can work together → so interactionist may be a better approach

Question 17

What is meant by a Dichotomous view?

Answer 17

Viewing both factors as distinct and separate

Question 18

Whats the limitation of a dichotomous view - explain

Answer 18

A dichotomous view
As solely innate or environmental can benefit treatment development

• Assuming OCD is entirely due to genetic factors affecting serotonin transport led to the creation of SSRI as a treatment
• However, the most effective treatment is SSRIs with CBT indicating the advantages of an interactional treatment approach that considers both nature and nurture