The nature nurture debate

• What is the nature nurture debate?

  Nature vs. nurture debate: The argument about whether genetics (nature) or environment and upbringing (nurture) have a greater influence on a person's development and behavior.
• what are the 2 examples of the influence of nature:

  • genetic explanations- family twin studies show that the closer two individuals are genetically the more likely that both of them will develop the same behaviour. For example the concordance rates for schizophrenia in MZ twins is 40% and only 7% in DZ twins.
  • Evolutionary explanations-a behaviour or characteristic that promotes survival or reproduction will be naturally selected. These adaptive behaviours are subsequently passed on. For example attachment, bowlby.
• Examples of nurture: John Locke described the newborn infant as a blank slate, which behaviourists adopted. They believe all behaviour can be explained by experience alone, like classical and operant conditioning. SLT: Bandura’s view was less extreme than traditional behaviourism. He believed behaviour was learned but allowed biology a role, like aggressive urges being biological but the behaviour displayed being learned. Other explanations include the double bind theory of schizophrenia by Bateson.
• AO3: diathesis stress.

  Others a way to understand nature and nurture. Often used to explain phobias or schizophrenia. A diathesis is a biological vulnerability, such as being born with certain genes that predispose a person to developing disorders. However research has shown that not everyone that has those genes goes on to develop the disorder. This again emphasises the importance of taking an interactionist approach.
• AO3: nurture affects nature.

  Maguires London taxi driver study showed regions of the brain associated with special memory were bigger than in controls. They weren’t born this way, rather the hippocampi had responded to increased us.
• AO3: epigenetics

  Life experiences such as stress and nutrition can turn genes on or off. This explains why cloning doesn’t produce identical copies, as the clone has experienced environmental influences.