nature vs nurture Flashcards
what is a key concept of nature
all behaviour is innate, psychological characteristics eg. intelligence is determined by biological factors just like physical characteristics. eg. MAOA and aggression.
what is a key concept of nurture
we are born as a blank slate, all behaviour is learnt through interaction with the environment.
What is the nature-nurture debate in psychology?
is a long-standing debate in psychology that explores the relative contributions of genetic (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors in shaping human behaviour, traits, and development.
what are some examples of environmental factors that may shape our behaviour
prenatal factors, postnatal factors, upbringing, social and cultural factors
what does epigenetics refer to (interactionist)
a change in our genetic activity without changing the DNA itself, Interactions with the environment leave epigenetic marks on our DNA, switches genes on and off which is then passed on through generations.
what is the diathesis stress model
behaviour is caused by a biological/psychological vulnerability which is only expressed when coupled with a biological or environmental trigger.
give an example of the diathesis stress model
genetic vulnerability for OCD which when coupled with a stress trigger in the environment results in appearance of OCD
what is constructivism (interactionist)
genes can affect our environment, for example someone may inherit musical genes which means they seek out musical experiences
How do psychologists study the nature-nurture debate?
Psychologists study the nature-nurture debate through various research methods, including twin studies, adoption studies, family studies, and molecular genetics. These methods help researchers to understand the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors in human behaviour and development.
how has research into nature vs nurture been useful, give example
Nestadt et al conducted a twin study investigating if OCD had a biological basis. Measured concordance rates in twins with ocd. Found 68% for MZ and 31% DZ. high concordance suggests a strong biological basis for OCD (nature must play a role). Identifying this biological basis has led to the development of drug treatments which has helped those suffering. drug treatments could not have been developed if we didn’t isolate nature and nature.
how does Nestadt’s research not fully support a nature argument
If OCD was purely due to biology we would expect 100% concordance for MZ as they share 100% of their DNA. this is never found which suggests that there must be some other contributing factor. Perhaps the environment - one of the twins experienced a stress in their environment that triggered the vulnerability, whereas the other did not. Suggests a purely nature argument is too simplistic in isolation, it is likely a combination of nature and nurture can account for most behaviour + disorders.
what is the benefit of adopting an interactionist model of behaviour
approach is more holistic and complete so can explain and treat more behaviour. As a result provides a sophisticated understanding of behaviour which is very complex and cannot be explained by nature of nurture in isolation.
what is a limitation of adopting an interactionist approach
difficult to scientifically measure, draw conclusions and compare results. As a result may only treat the symptoms not the root cause as cannot decipher the most influential factor.
why might a nature vs nurture argument not be the most practical in the real world
nature and nurture are not two entities that can be simply pulled apart. People create their own nurture by actively seeking environments that are appropriate for their nature (constructivism). Therefore pulling apart nature vs nurture may not be practical as often they work together.
