nature and nurture

Question 1

define interactionist approach

Answer 1

any characteristics arise from a combination of nature or nurture even eye colour (about 0.8 heritable)

Question 2

define nature in terms of the nature - nurture debate

Answer 2

inherited characteristics or heredity

Question 3

what does Descartes argue about human nature

Answer 3

human behaviour and some aspects of human knowledge are innate, and are a result of heredity

Question 4

define nurture in terms of the nature nurture debate

Answer 4

influence of experience and the environment

Question 5

what did Locke argue regarding nurture

Answer 5

we are born a blank slate at birth and we develop from experiences of environment

Question 6

what does the diathesis stress model state

Answer 6

behaviour is caused by biological or environmental vulnerability which is only expressed when coupled with an biological or environmental stressor

Question 7

explain psychopathology based off the diathesis stress model

Answer 7

caused by a biological vulnerability that is only expressed when coupled with an environmental or biological stressor

Question 8

what did Trenari (2004) say regarding schizophrenia

Answer 8

those most likely to develop schizophrenia had biological relatives with schizophrenic history and had relationships with adoptive families who are identified as being dysfunctional

Question 9

define epigenetics

Answer 9

change in genetic activity without changing our genetic code caused by interaction with the environment

aspects of life and events encountered (e.g: smoking/diet leave “epigenetic markers” on our DNA)

these marks tell our bodies which genes to ignore and which to use and may then influence genetics of our children

Question 10

what is the third element epigenetics introduce into the nature nurture debate

Answer 10

life experience of previous generations

Question 11

explain the research into epigenetics (2014)

Answer 11

male rats were shocked when they smelt perfume

they soon showed a fear response when perfume was present

when their babies and grandbabies smelt the scent they showed the fear response too

Question 12

give the 2 levels of environment identified by Lerner

Answer 12

prenatal factors

postnatal factors

Question 13

give 2 examples of prenatal factors

Answer 13

physical influences - smoking

psychological differences - music on the foetus

Question 14

give an example of a post natal factor

Answer 14

social conditions a child grows up in

Question 15

how can you measure nature and nurture

Answer 15

by using a correlation coefficient (degree to which people are similar)

Question 16

define concordance

Answer 16

the extent to which a trait is inherited

Question 17

define heredity

Answer 17

the genetic transmission of mental and physical characteristics from generation to generation

Question 18

what values do co efficients range from

Answer 18

-1 to 1

Question 19

what is the correlation co efficient for heritability of IQ

Answer 19

0.5

Question 20

if the heritability correlation for a gene is 1 what does this mean in terms of genes

Answer 20

genes are the only reason for the trait