Nature/nurture

• Nature

  • The view that behaviour is the product of innate biological or genetic factors.
  • It has been thought that human characteristics are innate (Rene Descartes)
  • This means behaviours are due to hereditary factors (genetic transmission of characteristics for one generation to another)
• Nature example

  • Psychopathology
  • OCD is inherited as individuals inherit specific genes which cause OCD.
  • COMT gene: regulates the production of dopamine. High levels of dopamine associated with OCD
  • SERT gene: Which is responsible for the transport of serotonin, low levels of serotonin is associated with OCD
• Nature example

  • Schizophrenia
  • Gottesman found that MZ twins have a 48% risk of getting SZ.
  • Whereas DZ twins have a 27% risk rate
  • This is evidence that the higher the degree of genetic relativeness the higher the risk of getting schizophrenia.