Nature vs Nurture

• Nurture:

  1. mind and behaviour are the result of experience
  2. John Locke - Tabula Rasa
  3. If depression is the result of nurture, then it is learnt from the environment
  4. e.g. depression is the result of observing depressed behaviour in those around you; imitating the behaviour and being rewarded
• Nature:

  1. Aspects of mind and behaviour are biological
  2. e.g. depression is the result of inheriting a particular combination of genes
  3. if depression is the result of nature then it is innate and biological
• AO1:

  1. debate about the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour
  2. Nature side of the debate assumes heredity is more important
  3. Nurture side of the debate assumes environment and experiences is more important
  4. Nature aspect is rooted in nativist theory that knowledge/ abilities are innate
  5. Nurture is rooted in empiricist theory that knowledge derives from learning
  6. Locke's view of the mind as a 'tabula rasa' or blank slate on which experiences are written