Nature and nurture debate

• the nature nurture debate looks at what our causes our behaviour and who we are
• those on natural side argue behaviour is project of biological and genetic influences - inherit traits from parents
• to measure heritability of characterstic we use heritability coefficient
• those believing in nurture approach argue behaviour is determined by factors in our environment
• twins studies are an example of nature approach - show closer the 2 individuals are genetically the more likely they both develop same behaviours

  • nestadt et al found average concordance rate of 68% in MZ twins and 31% in DZ twins highlighting genetic component
• evolutionary theory supports natural approach as the are based on principle that behaviour that promotes survival and reproduction will be naturally selected and passed on for generations

  • bowlby proposed children are biologically programmed to form attachments as it helps them to survive
• behavioural theory adopts nurture approach as claims we are born 'tabula rasa' meaning 'blank slate' and so all behaviour is learnt through classical and operant conditioning

  • pavlovs dogs and skinners rats
  • social learning theory proposes behaviour is acquired through learning and indirectly through vicarious reinforcement
• interactionalist approach is view that nature and nurture work together to shape human behaviour
• example of interactionalist approach is epigenetics - change in our genetic activity without changing the genetic code
• epigenetics is caused by interaction with the environment and it is where out lifestyle and events we encounter leave epigenetic marks on our DNA