Nature-nurture Debate

Question 1

What is the nature-nurture debate?

Answer 1

-extent to aspects of behaviour are a product of inherited or acquired characteristics

Question 2

What is the interactionsist approach?

Answer 2

-question of whether our behaviour is more influenced by nature or nurture

Question 3

What is the hereditary?

Answer 3

-traits are passed from parents to offspring

Question 4

What is nature?

Answer 4

-inherited influences
-characteristics are determined by genes

Question 5

What is nurture?

Answer 5

-influence of experience + environment
-empiricist - blank sate at birth shape by the environment

Question 6

Examples of nature - genetic explanations

Answer 6

-more closely related - more likely to develop same behaviours
-concordance rate for mental disorders = 40% for MZ twins and 7% for DZ twins
-suggests nature + environment play a significant role

Question 7

Example of nature - evolutionary explanations

Answer 7

-principle which promotes survival will be naturally selected
-behaviours are adaptive - more likely to survive to adulthood + reproduce
-Bowlby - attachment is adaptive - more likely to be protected due to displaying social releasers
-infant more likely to survive + reproduce

Question 8

Examples of nurture - behaviourism

Answer 8

-all behaviour can be explained in terms of experience
-Skinner - operant + classical - explain learning
-attachment can be explained in terms of classical conditioning

Question 9

Examples of nurture - SLT

Answer 9

-Bandura - behaviour is acquired indirectly through operant + classical but also through vicarious reinforcement
-biology has a role to play
- aggression could be expressed by observing and imitating from an identified role model

Question 10

Evaluation - Support - diathesis stress model

Answer 10

-behaviour caused by biological or environmental vulnerability
-not everyone with candidate genes will develop a disorder
-expression of a gene depends on experience in form of a stressor - which triggers the condition

Question 11

Diathesis stress model example

Answer 11

-Tienari - studied 145 adoptees whose mums had schizo - then matched with 158 adoptees without genetic risk
-after 12 years- 14/303 = schizo - 11 of these were from high risk group
-genetic risk + experienced same family climate
-illustrates how being raised in a ‘healthy’ family has a protective affect

Question 12

Real world application

Answer 12

-OCD is highly inheritable
-Nestadt - rate = 0.76
-informs genetic counselling as it isn’t inevitable to go on and develop it
-those who have high risk - get advice + prevent it
-not just theoretical but practical
-understands interaction between both