Nature Vs Nurture Debate Flashcards
What side is the biological approach on?
Nature.
What side is the psychodynamic approach on?
Nature (a little of nurture).
What side is the interactionist approach on?
Interactionist (nature+nurture).
What side is the social approach on?
Nurture.
What side is the learning approach on?
Nurture.
What does the learning approach say?
- All born tabula rasa - blank slate.
- All info from birth is learned.
- Only maturation is down to genetics.
- Doesn’t explain reflexes and why people develop at the same rate.
What study supports the learning theory?
Watson and skinner argued that all human behaviour is learned and we have no innate characteristics apart from seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
What does the social approach say?
- Learn through experiences in social situations.
* Looks for causes in behaviour in the social environment which is why it’s strongly nurturist.
What study supports the social approach?
Milgram and sheriffs study doing very few differences in behaviour and it showed people are easily influenced by pressure and authority. Individual differences like personality make little difference in the presence of strong social pressure.
What does the psychodynamic approach say?
- We all have innate abilities and needs.
- We develop and nature in a predisposes set of stages.
- The relationship ship with our parents shape our personality. (Powerful external force).
- There are natural stages we nature through as we grow up.
What study supports the psychodynamic approach?
Freud states there are stages we develop through. They are natural and unchangeable. Everyone experiences them in the same order.
What does the biological approach say?
- Everything we do is mapped out for us from birth by our innate characteristics. (This is biological determinism).
- Looks for the causes of behaviour in our genes, hormones and brain structure.
- We all have a biological clock which switched on (or off) types of behaviour in a pre-programmes way.
What study supports the biological approach?
Gottesman conducted a twin study to find the risk of sz in MZ twins.The concordance rate for MZ twins was 48% and for DZ twins it was 17%. Concluded that sz is partly controlled by genes as something else must control it otherwise MZ twins would have 100% concordance.
What does the interactionist approach say?
•Both genes and environment have a certain amount of influence on our behaviour.
What study supports the interactionist approach?
Brendegen et al (2005) investigates if aggression in children is due to their genetic or social situation they’re in. Physical aggression is mostly nature and social aggression is mostly nurture.
