nature vs nurture

• What is nature?


  Nature is the view that behaviour is the product of biological factors. People are born with skills and behaviours which influence their development, some of which are inherited (genetic inheritance).
• What is heredity?


  Heredity is the process by which traits are passed down genetically from one generation to the next
• Nature is also referred to as what?

  Nativism
• What does nativism suggest?

  That the human soul is born with abilities
• What does nativism refer to?

  It refers to our innate potential, influenced entirely by physiological & genetic factors.
• What does psychological research which supports the nature side of the debate believe?

  That biological factors, such as genetics, brain structure and levels of neurotransmitters affect our behaviour
• What other explanations also emphasise the role of nature?

  Evolutionary explanations, as they assume that behaviours or characteristics that increase our chances of survival and reproduction will be naturally selected; the genes for these characteristics or behaviours will be passed on, as they provide an adaptive advantage
• What is nuture?

  Nurture is the view that behaviour is the product of environmental influences
• What is classed as the environment?

  The environment is seen as everything outside the body which can include people, events and the physical world
• What is the nurture argument also known as?

  Empiricism
• What is empiricism?


  The opposing extreme viewpoint to nativism which says we are born without any innate mechanisms and we are as we are due to our experiences
• Empiricism says we are born as a what?

  Blank slate - tabula rasa
• Who created the concept of tabula rasa and when?

  The concept of being born as a tabula rasa was first proposed by John Locke in the 17th century, a philosopher that was influential within Psychology
• Psychological research which supports the nurture side of the debate believes the effects of what?

  Our environment include socio-economic status, education, relationships with family and friends, abuse, role models and exposure to reinforcement and punishment
• What are three discussion points for an essay on the nature nurture debate?

  Implications of a Nature Stance

  Implications of a Nurture Stance

  The Case for an Interactionist Approach
• What are the implications of a nature stance?

  A nativist would suggest a hard determinist stance which can create controversy with a belief that behaviour is due to genetics and cannot be altered by the environment.
• What is an example of the implications of a nature stance?

  Could be used to advocate for the death penalty as a way of removing unalterable criminal genes from the gene pool
• What are the implications of a nurture stance?

  Empiricists would suggest that any behaviour can be changed by altering environmental conditions.
• What is an example of empiricists suggesting that any behaviour can be changed by altering environmental conditions?

  Behaviour shaping, a behaviourist concept, has had practical application in therapy such as token economy for schizophrenia.
• Why have some psychologists criticised empiricists methods?

  Some psychologists have criticised the token economy in psychiatric units as manipulative, inhumane and treats people like animals.
• Why is there a case for an interactionist approach?

  Many psychologists argue that both a genetic predisposition and an appropriate environmental trigger are required for a psychological disorder to develop; this is set out in the diathesis-stress model.
• Provide an example of the case for an interactionist approach.

  Cromer et al. (2007) found that over half the OCD patients in their sample had a traumatic event in their past and that OCD was more severe in those with more than once trauma. This supports OCD being pathoplastic, that OCD can vary in symptomology and severity depending upon a person's life events.