nature-nurture

• what is the nature-nurture debate?

  whether our behaviour is MORE influenced by nature or nurture. Extent to which they're each involved
• what's the diathesis-stress model?

  suggests behaviour is caused by either a biological or environmental vulnerability, but is only expressed when coupled with the other 'trigger' / stressor
• example where diathesis- stress model is seen?

  biological explanations of ocd
• What's epigenetics?


  refers to a change in our gene function without a change to base sequence of DNA

  caused by interaction with environment as some events leave 'marks' on DNA. These changes can influence offspring's genetic codes
• what is nature in terms of behaviour explanation?

  psychological characteristics are influenced by biological factors (genes)
• what's nurture in terms of behavioural explanation?

  the influence of experience or environment on our behaviour
• is John Locke nature or nurture, and what did he say?

  nurture, that we are 'tabula rasa' at birth (blank slate) and are shaped by experiences
• is Rene Descartes (1600) nature or nurture and what did he say?

  nature, all human characteristics are innate
• what does the biological approach say about the nature-nurture debate

  nativist - characteristics come from genes and brain structures, but recognise brain plasticity, so some allowance for nurture
• what does the psychodynamic approach say about the nature-nurture debate

  nativist - characteristics come from id and sex drive - fixed psychosexual stages- but parenting is also important, so nurture is involved
• what does the cognitive approach say about the nature-nurture debate?

  interactionist - some believe cognitions are learned like behaviours, but cognitions are also influenced by brain structure (neurocognition)
• what does the social approach say about the nature-nurture debate?

  nurturist - characteristics come from social situations
• what does the learning approach say about the nature-nurture debate?

  nurturist - characteristics come from experience, born tabula rasa, but brain has pleasure centres so some predispositions to learn
• Which research finding would support the 'nurture' side of the nature vs. nurture debate?

  Adopted children's personalities being more similar to their adoptive parents than their biological parents
• evidence for nature?


  concordance rate for a mental disorder such as schizophrenia is 40% for MZ twins and 7% for DZ twins. However MZ isn't 100
• 
  

  Bowlby proposed that attachment was adaptive as it meant an infant was more likely to be protected by displaying social releasers (innate, ‘cute’ behaviours) and features infant-caregiver interactions (such as interactional synchrony and reciprocity). So, the infant would be more likely to survive and reproduce as an adult.
• Social learning theory — Bandura proposed that behaviour is acquired indirectly through operant and classical conditioning but also by directly through vicarious reinforcement. He acknowledged that biology had a role to play e.g. the urge to act aggressively could be biological but the way a person learns to express anger is through environmental influences (such as through observing and imitating the methods of expression of anger displayed by the identified role models).