Nature - Nurture debate - Discussions

Question 1

How is the psychodynamic approach a clear example of interactionism?

Answer 1

Freud argued that children undergo psychosexual development at specific ages.
(They are an innate process).

Freud emphasised the interaction of these innate stages with the child’s unique life experiences at each stage. (May become fixed in a stage if not get through it properly).

Example - (Anal stage if fixed as an adult will be fussy/over sensitive).

Question 2

What is a dichotomous view ?

Answer 2

Seeing behaviours are either only innate or only environmental.

Question 3

How can a Dichotomous approach be helpful ?

Answer 3

Benefit treatment developments.

Assuming OCD is due to Genetic factors affecting serotonin transport led to the creation of (SSRIs) as a treatment.

Question 4

Why is an interactionist approach more effective ?

Answer 4

Combination of treatments seen to be better.

Most effective treatment for OCD is combining SSRIs with Cognitive behavioural therapy.

Question 5

Why is accepting a behaviour to be primarily influenced by nature or nurture an issue?

Answer 5

In legal contexts - If aggressive behaviour was argued to be mainly biological (narture) it could lead to reduced sentences and seen for them to not be responsible as they cannot help their genes.

Question 6

What is Epigenetic modification?

Answer 6

DNA has chemical marks that influence how the DNA is expressed.
(Certain genes can be switched on/off)

This collection of chemical marks is our epigenome.

Question 7

How can environmental experiences alter the epigenome?

Answer 7

Positive experiences - supporting relationships/stimulating environment
and
Negative experiences - exposure to toxins/stress

Can alter how genes are expressed in brain cells. (Negatively/positively) influencing behaviour in later life.

This can affect health/learning.

Question 8

What can affect the epigenome of infants?

Answer 8

experiences of parents.