A03: The Nature-Nurture Debate

    Cards (5)

    • Evaluation
      s
    • Deterministic: N-N D: A03
      Danger of accepting wholly nature (nativist) view or a wholly nurture (empiricist) view?:
      Nativists suggest 'anatomy is destiny' and env has little input on our traits and behaviours.
      • This is highly deterministic and can lead to controversy like the race/intelligence debate which was used to justify social inequality and oppression.
      • Alternatively Empiricists suggest behaviour can be shaped simply by altering environmental conditions.
      This could lead to advocate a model of society where citizens are controlled using reinforcement and punishment.
    • Shared and unshared environments: N-N D: A03
      One problem of research in this area is that heredity and the env can never truly be separated.
      • Sibling's and even twins within the same family do not share identical upbringings/env and they experience life events differently.
      • E.g, a life event like divorce will be experienced differently by 2 siblings depending on factors like age and temperament.
      This explains why even MZs reared together do not show perfect concordance rates.
    • Constructivism: N-N D: A03
      People create their own environments by selecting those which suit their nature.
      • E.g, a naturally aggressive child is more likely to fell comfortable around children who show similar behaviour.
      • Consequently, this environment is likely to have an effect on their development.
      Again, showing nature and nurture cannot be meaningfully separated.

      • CANT DISTINGUISH ONE FROM THE OTHER (NATURE & NURTURE) - INTERACTIONALISM IS THE WAY FORWARD
    • Genotype-environment interaction: N-N D: A03
      Scarr & MCCartney (1983) said: 3 types of gene env interaction.
      • Passive interaction - parents genes influence way they treat/raise kid(musical parents expose kid to music).
      • Evocative interaction - kid's gene influence & shape env which they grow up (musically talented kid given opportunities others not).
      • Active Interaction - child creates its own env through people & experiences it selects (musical kid seeks musical friends & experiences).
      Showing complexities of nature/nurture interaction are deep & neither can be separated/isolated.