2.1 interaction of hereditary and environmental factors

• psychological development is the process of growth and change in humans cognitive, emotional and social capabilities and functioning over the life span
• psychological development is influenced by the interaction of biological, genetic, social , cultural and environmental factors
• the terms nature and nurture are used in psychology to describe two major forces in the development of humans
• psychologists have long debated whether nature (hereditary factors) or nurture (environmental factors) have greater influence of development
• nature - hereditary factors

  • genetically passed down factors from biological parents to children
• genetic characteristics are almost completely determined by nature
• nurture - environmental factors

  • refer to effects that external, biological and social environmental factors have on the development of out physical, psychological and behavioural actions
• nurture factors are an individuals physical and social surroundings and are affected by whether they are exposed to an enriched or deprived environment
• nature - hereditary factor examples

  • eye colour
  • facial features
  • blood type
  • body type
• nurture - environmental factor examples

  • hobbies
  • education
  • socioeconomic status
• nature and nurture factor examples

  • height
  • intelligence
• influence of hereditary factors

  • Some of our genetic characteristics are almost completely determined by nature
  • Other physical characteristics, such as height, are also influenced by environmental factors such getting enough food (nutrition)
• influence of environmental factors

  • Environment can have a powerful impact on an individual's physical, cognitive, an emotional development
• environmental factors - growing up in an ‘enriched’ or ‘deprived’ environment 

  • Enriched: basic needs and more are met – nutrition, education, and love
  • Deprived: basic needs are not met – not exposed to the stimulation necessary for normal growth/ development 
• gathering information for nature vs nurture studies

  twin studies vs adoption studies
• Twin and adoption studies provide a unique circumstance in which the impact of nature and nurture can be studied
• twin studies involve exploring developmental similarities and differences between identical and fraternal twins
• Twins reared together will have similar environmental influences, and similar genetic combination
• adoption studies 


  involved children from families who have one adopted child and one biological child are then compared
• adopted children won't have any inherited genes from their adoptive parents
• both twin and adoptive studies will provide research tools for investigating how hereditary and environmental factors influence psychological development