Nature vs Nurture

• what is meant by the debate of nature vs nurture?

  the debate between nature and nurture is the relative contribution of nature and nurture on behaviour.
• what is meant by nature?

  the view that behaviour is the product of innate biological or genetics factors.
• what is an example of nature?

  Bowlby proposed that children come into the world biologically programmed to form attachments because this will help them survive. Suggesting that attachment behaviours are naturally selected and occurring through genetic inheritance.
• what is meant by nurture?

  the view that behaviour is the product of environmental factors.
• what is an example of nurture?

  Behaviour psychologists explain attachment in terms or classical and operant conditioning which is where the baby learns attachment thus suggesting that attachment behaviours are learnt due to external forces.
• What is the interactionist approach?

  the view that both nature and nurture work together to shape human behaviour.
• what is an example of the interactionist approach?

  • The genetic disorder PKU is caused by the inheritance of two recessive genes. People with PKU are unable to break down the amino acid phenylalanine which builds up in the blood and brain causing mental retardation.
  • But if a child with PKU is placed on a low protein diet for the first 12 years, they avoid this potentially serious lifelong disorder.
• evaluation of nature vs nurture

  1.twin studies support nature.

  • twin studies are often used to support the nature debate. Nestadt et al examined twin studies in relation to OCD and found an average concordance rate of 68% in MZ twins.
  • These results do provide evidence of a strong genetic component; however, the results also highlight the role of nurture as the results are 100% concordance rates.
• evaluation of nature vs nurture?

  2.Nature vs nurture is a meaningless debate.

  • research shows that this debate has become meaningless and there is a growing body of research suggesting the importance of the interactionist approach. 
  • Research into neural plasticity suggests the life experiences shape our biology. Maguire et al 2000 found that driving a taxi (nurture) actually had an effect on the size of the hippocampus (nature), demonstrating the importance of the interactionist approach and presenting evidence that nurture can affect nature.
• evaluation of nature vs nurture?

  3.Interactionist approach supporting evidence.

  • the diathesis-stress model suggests that psychopathology is caused by biological vulnerability which is only expressed when coupled with an environmental trigger.
  • In schizophrenia aa child may have inherited the gene for that disorder but due to environmental factors such as stress, the gene is activated which results in a schizophrenic episode.