Issues and Debates - Nature vs Nurture

Question 1

Nature debate

Answer 1

The view that behaviour is the product of innate biological and genetic factors

Question 2

What are behaviour traits according to the nature debate?

Answer 2

Behaviour traits are hereditary

Question 3

Nurture debate

Answer 3

The view that behaviour is the product of environmental factoras

Question 4

What debate believes that both nature and nurture work together to shape human behaviour?

Answer 4

Interactionist

Question 5

Examples of theories that take nature side of the debate

Answer 5

Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
Biological approach (hormones, neurotransmitters and genes)
Forensics

Question 6

Examples of theories that take nurture side of the debate

Answer 6

Social Learning Theory
Learning explanation of attachment
Behaviourist approach

Question 7

Why does the interactionist approach have higher validity than the other side of the argument?

Answer 7

Because it doesn’t isolate any one factor

Question 8

Example of interactionism: twin studies

Answer 8

Twin studies never had a 100% concordance rate. If our behaviour was purely to do with nature, we would expect both twins to have the condition 100% of the time

Question 9

Example of interactionism: psychodynamic approach

Answer 9

Psychosexual stages suggest that behaviour is purely based on nature, however environmental factors also play a part in shaping when the stages occur

Question 10

Example of interactionism: cognitive approach

Answer 10

States that schema shape how we see our environment, however mental framework is also said to be a key factor

Question 11

Example of interactionism: biopsychology

Answer 11

States that nature mainly shapes our behaviour, however plasticity also refers to our brains adapting and changing due to the environment