Issues and Debates: Nature vs Nurture

This contains AO1 and AO3

What is nature?

The principle that our behaviour is influenced by things we inherit.

• e.g. genetics ➙ the idea is that it is INATE (nativism)

What is nurture?

The principle that the environment influences our behaviour

How can nature and nurture be measured?

Concordance rate ➙ the degree to which if one family member has a trait that another family member will also have that trait.

What is the interactionist approach?

Behaviour arises from both genetics and the environment

What is the diathesis stress model?

• There is a gene which is making someone vulnerable to disorder

• The environment triggers the gene

What are epigenetics?

This is change in our genetic activity without changing the genes themselves

• This can happen through interaction with the environment which leaves marks on our DNA e.g. smoking

Nature vs nurture AO3: Strength (adoption studies)

• Adoption studies are a strength of the nature vs nurture debate

• These are useful because they separate nature from nurture an we can see whether the children are more similar to their biological parents or their adopted parents suggesting which had more influence nature or nurture

• Meta analysis showed that genetic influence accounted for 41% or aggressive behaviour

• Therefore these researches separate the debate and make it easier to study.

Nature vs nurture AO3: Counterpoint (adoption studies)

• However this approach may be misguided

• Nature and nurture may not be factors we can separate. Studies show that people create their own ‘nurture’ by selecting environments appropriate for their ‘nature’

• This means a more aggressive child may have felt more comfortable with other children who behaviour similarly and will be in their social group

• Therefore it doesn't make sense to test them separately and doing so might hinder validity

Nature vs nurture AO3: Strength (real world)

• There is real world application

• Research shows that OCD is a highly genetic mental disorder. The heritability rate is 76%

• This can help genetic counselling because it is important that high heritability rate does not make it inevitable but people who are vulnerable can receive advice.

• Therefore this is jot just a theoretical debate and can be useful in the real world

Nature vs nurture AO3: Strength (evidence to support)

• There is support for epigenetics

• Environmental effects can span generations for example woman who were pregnant during a famine due to the nazis blocking food to Dutch people went on to have low birth wight babies

• These babies were then twice as likely to have schizophrenia

• This supports the view that previous generational experiences can leave genetic marks on later generations