The Nature-Nurture Debate

• What are the two categories of causal factors in behavior according to psychologists?

  Biology and experiences
• What does the term 'nature' refer to in psychology?

  Genetic makeup and biological processes
• What does the term 'nurture' refer to in psychology?

  Experiences during a lifetime
• Do most psychologists believe behavior is entirely due to nature or nurture?

  No, it's a combination of both
• What is the main focus of the nature-nurture debate?

  How much behavior is influenced by each factor
• What is a common misconception about the nature-nurture debate?

  • It's about whether behavior is only nature or only nurture
  • Most psychologists see it as a combination of both
• What do behaviorists accept about the role of biology?

  It is included in their theories
• What are primary reinforcers according to behaviorists?

  Biological needs like food and sex
• What is the role of secondary reinforcers in behaviorism?

  They lead to accessing primary reinforcers
• How do biological psychologists view the influence of genes on behavior?

  They argue behaviors are due to inherited genes
• What is the concept of brain plasticity?

  The brain adapts physically to experiences
• Who is associated with the nature side of the debate?

  Rene Descartes
• What did Descartes believe about the mind?

  It is born with innate ideas
• Who is associated with the nurture side of the debate?

  John Locke
• What is empiricism according to John Locke?

  Knowledge is acquired through experience
• What does the term 'tabula rasa' mean in Locke's theory?

  The mind is a blank slate at birth
• What is the genetic explanation for OCD?

  Individuals inherit a vulnerability to OCD
• What is Bowlby's monotropic theory about attachment?

  Babies have an innate need to attach
• What do evolutionary theories suggest about behaviors?

  Genes code for adaptive behaviors
• How do behaviorists explain phobias?

  Phobias form through traumatic associations
• What is interactionism in the context of nature and nurture?

  Genes and environment influence each other
• What is the diathesis-stress explanation?

  Genetic vulnerability plus a stressor leads to disorders
• How does aggression in young males relate to interactionism?

  It results from biological and cultural interactions
• What does determinism mean in the context of the nature-nurture debate?

  Behavior is caused by either genes or environment
• What is the advantage of a dichotomous view of behavior?

  It simplifies treatment development for conditions
• What is the most successful treatment for OCD?

  A combination of SSRIs and CBT
• How can accepting environmental reasons for behavior empower individuals?

  They can actively change their thought processes
• What are the implications of a biological explanation in the legal system?

  It may reduce sentences for certain criminals
• What is epigenetic modification?

  Environmental factors influence gene expression
• How can positive experiences affect the epigenome?

  They can enhance gene expression positively
• How can negative experiences influence the epigenome?

  They can alter gene expression negatively
• How can parental experiences affect their infants' epigenome?

  They can influence gene expression in infants
• What resources are available for psychology students on the Psych Boost platform?

  • Over 1,500 multiple choice questions
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