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issues & debates
nature and nurture
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Cards (17)
What is one strength of research into the nature-nurture debate?
The use of
adoption studies
, which help separate
genetic
and
environmental
influences.
What did Rhee and Waldman (2002) find in their meta-analysis of adoption studies?
Genetic
influences accounted for
41%
of the variance in
aggression
How do adoption studies support research into the nature-nurture debate?
They show how the separate
contributions
of nature and nurture can be
measured
and compared
What is a limitation of trying to separate nature and nurture?
Research suggests that nature and nurture are too interconnected to be studied
independently.
What did Plomin (1994) propose about the nature-nurture relationship?
People create their own
‘nurture’
by selecting
environments
that match their nature, a process called
niche-picking.
What is niche-picking?
When individuals choose environments that suit their
genetic
predispositions
(e.g. an aggressive child choosing similarly
aggressive
peers)
How does niche-picking challenge the separation of nature and nurture?
It shows that
genes
can influence the environment we choose, which in turn shapes our development — blending nature and
nurture
How does epigenetics support the nature-nurture debate?
It shows environmental effects can leave
heritable
markers.
View source
What historical event provides evidence for epigenetic influence?
The Dutch Hunger Winter
(
1944
)
View source
What did Susser and Lin (1992) find about babies born during the Dutch
famine?
They had lower birth weights and higher
schizophrenia
risk.
View source
What does the Dutch Hunger Winter study suggest about epigenetics?
Life experiences can affect
health
outcomes
of
future
generations.
View source
What is a real-world application of understanding the nature-nurture debate?
It informs
genetic counselling
and
mental health support
.
View source
What did Nestadt et al. (2010) find about the heritability of OCD?
OCD has a heritability rate of
0.76
.
View source
Why is understanding heritability important for individuals at genetic risk of disorders like OCD?
High
heritability doesn’t mean the disorder is
inevitable.
View source
What does the real-world application of the nature-nurture debate show?
It highlights how nature and nurture interact in
health contexts
.
View source
Main strengths of the nature-nurture debate
Adoption
studies help
separate
genetic and environmental influences.
Epigenetics
shows how life
experiences
can affect
gene
expression across generations.
Real-world
application in areas like
genetic
counselling
and mental health
support
(e.g. OCD heritability)
Main weaknesses of the nature-nurture debate
Nature and nurture
interact
too
closely
to study in isolation (e.g.
niche-picking
— individuals select environments that match their genetics)
Attempts to separate them may be misguided,
oversimplifying
complex
interactions