Nature vs Nurture

• Nature-nurture debate

  Are we born the way we are or are we made?
• nature

  behaviour is a the product of innate biological or genetic factors
• Heredity

  The process by which traits are passed down from one generation to the next
• the nature side is a ______ view

  nativist
• nativism

  the human species is a product of evolution and individual differences are the result of our genetic code
• evidence for the nature view

  • genetic explanation of schizophrenia - genes for SZ can be passed down through generations - Genain Quadruplets
  • Biopsychology - biological rhythms - EZs and EPs influence our sleep/wake cycle
• nurture

  behaviour is the product of environmental influences
• tabula rasa

  we are born as a blank slate then created or filled with experiences
• characteristics and behaviour are a result of ______

  learning
• evidence for the nurture view

  • behaviourism - classical and operant conditioning
  • Token economy for schizophrenia - using operant conditioning to change behaviour of people with schizophrenia
• problems with the nature-nurture debate

  led to extreme political action

  • eugenicists argued that a better species could be bred, so people with low IQ had to be sterlised
  • Stalin believed that punishment could be used to engineer a better society
• interactionist view

  nature and nurture interact with each other rather than working separately
• evidence for the Interactionist view

  • diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia - we can be born with a predisposition to schizophrenia but onset is determined by environment
  • Biopsychology - plasticity - taxi drivers may have an innate ability to navigate better but this can improve with repeated practice
• Plomin et al (1977)

  Identified 3 ways genes and the environment can interact

  • passive
  • Reactive
  • Active
• passive interaction

  genes and environment combine
• reactive interaction

  genes influence the reactions of others and therefore the environment provided by others
• active interaction

  genes influence our choice of environment