The Nature-Nurture debate

• The Nature-Nurture debate

  Interactionist Approach - proposes a continuum / spectrum of nature and nurture so a characteristic arises due to combo of both - examine relative contrition of each to display of behaviour to examine how they interact

  Diathesis-Stress Model - behaviour casued by biological vulnerability expressed by environmental 'stress' trigger

  Epigenetics - change in genetic expression without altering genes - diet, smoking, age etc influence future generation's gene expression
• Key concepts of the debate

  Nature - inherited influence / hereditary - Descartes argued all human xeristics and some knowledge is innate

  Nurture - influence of experience and environment - empiricists eg Locke argue brain is a tabula rasa (blank slate) at birth and shaped by experience

  Measuring Nature and Nurture - represented by correlation coefficient and concordance rates - heritability establishes extent of nature's influence and remainder is nurture's influence
• A03: Consequence of extremes

  Idea heavily based in either is susceptible to becoming outdated by strong contradictory evidence

  Empiricists behaviorist approach replaced in modern psych by balanced cognitive approach valuing empiricist aspect of building schema but also innate processing ability

  Behaviour can be explained in greater depth with an interactionist approach

  extreme stances may lack longevity as valid explanations and credible theories
• A03: Is it still a debate?

  Is the divide a meaningless distinction

  commonly accepted that neither are independent agents and act in an interactionist way

  eg psychopathology - argues for genetic predisposition for OCD but also necessary trigger (diathesis-stress)

  Tienari et al - high levels of dysfunctional parenting from adoptive parents and bio mothers with SZ led to strong SZ prevalence compared to control

  Mental health conditions can be explained by interactionist but not independent
• A03: RWA + benefits of interactionism

  Modern understanding of both sides contributes to real world research eg OCD heritability

  Nestadt et al - heritability 0.76 - used t inform genetic counselling as high heritability doesn't mean definitive expression due to need of environmental pressures

  People with high genetic risk of OCD can receive lifestyle advice to reduce stress and preventative measures

  debate not purely theoretical and interactionism informs important practical developments