The nature or nurture debate

Question 1

What is the nature versus nurture debate?

Answer 1

This debate focuses on whether nature( genetics, heredity, hormones etc.) or nurture ( environment, reinforcement, experiences etc.) contribute more to peoples behavior.

Question 2

nature- nativist theory

Answer 2

This is what the nature side of the debate stems from, according to this theory knowledge and abilities are innate. This is not just at birth but applies to any characteristics determined by genetics.

Question 3

Nature- biological approach

Answer 3

Offers many genetic explanations for behavior. A study from this approach looked at the concordance rates of SZ between monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Monozygotic twins had a 50% concordance rate while dizygotic twins had a 7% concordance rate. This shows genes are a major cause of SZ.

Question 4

Nature- evolutionary approach

Answer 4

According to this theory a characteristic that promotes survival and reproduction is more likely to be passed down, this is called natural selection.

Bowlby said attachment was based on evolution as it means infants are more likely to be protected and survive, later on in life attachment facilitates close relationships promoting reproduction.

Question 5

Nurture- empiricist theory

Answer 5

The root of the nature side of the debate is the empiricist theory. Under this theory knowledge is derived from learning, environmental influences come from interacting with the environment. All of these experiences effect our behavior and this starts in the pre natal state, such as whether or not the mother smokes.

Question 6

Nurture- Behavioural approach

Answer 6

All behavior is derived from experience alone, an example is classical conditioning as an explanation for attachment as care figures are associated with food.

The social learning theory is a less extreme version of this, an example is aggression. The urge for aggressive behavior is biological (nature) however we learn how to express that as behavior through observing the behavior of others (nurture).

Question 7

Weaknesses of the nature vs nurture debate

Answer 7

-) According to the interactionist approach nature and nurture are so closely intertwined that separating makes no sense. The general heredity figure in tests is 0.5 meaning both nature and nurture are important factors for intelligence.

-) Diathesis stress Models of mental illness emphasize both nature and nurture interacting creating illnesses.
Disorders such as SZ are caused by genetic vulnerabilities (diathesis) which is only expressed if there is an environmental trigger (stress). Studies have found adoptees who had biological relatives with SZ and had dysfunctional relationships with their foster family are more likely to develop SZ.

• ) A person’s nature can affect the nurture they receive. Studies have found the influence of genetics increases as you get older. People seek out experiences that suit their genes.
• ) Several studies have shown nurture effects nature, Taxi drivers in London have larger hippocampus’s than a control group. This is because that part of the brain deals with spatial memory which is an important skill for taxi drivers. They where not born this way their brains responded to their experiences.
• ) Epigenetics is when our genetic activity I changed without our genetic code changing. This is caused by interactions with the environment, such as smoking, diet, war etc all leave epigenetic markers on our DNA. These tell us what genes to ignore and influence the genetics of subsequent generations. Epigenetics introduces the third variable of the experiences of the previous generation into the debate.