issues and debates A01

nature vs nurture - define the nature viewpoint

nature is the view that behaviour is the product of innate biological or genetic factors

nature vs nurture - define the nurture viewpoint

nurture is the view that behaviour is the product of environmental influences

nature vs nurture - define heredity

the process in which traits are passed down from one generation to the next

nature vs nurture - what are the 2 supporting factors

• genetics

• evolution

nature vs nurture - what does genetics show which supports the nature argument?

the closer two people are in genetic similarity, the more likely it is they will share traits and behaviours e.g. schizophrenia

nature vs nurture - what does evolution show that supports the nature argument?

behaviour that promotes survival and reproduction will be naturally selected. therefore, these genes will be passed on to the next generation

nature vs nurture - what psych experiement supports the evolution view from the nature argument

bowlby - attachment is adaptive as it promotes survival of the infant

nature vs nurture - who argued that the mind is tabula rasa, supporting the nurture view?

John Locke

nature vs nurture - what 2 approaches support the nurture view?

• social learning theory

• behaviourism

nature vs nurture - what did Lerner 1986 suggest and define for the nurture view?

that the environment is vague, so he defined 2 different levels

nature vs nurture - what were Lerners 2 different ‘environment’ levels?

• prenatal

• postnatal

nature vs nurture - define Lerner’s prenatal stage of environment for the nurture view

mother’s physical and psychological state during pregnancy

nature vs nurture - define Lerner’s postnatal stage of environment for the nature view

the social experiences that the child has including the social conditions that the child grows up in

nature vs nurture - define the interactionist approach

the view that both nature and nurture work together to shape human behaviour

nature vs nurture - example of the interactionist approach

PKU - caused by inheritance of two recessive genes

however, it is not expressed if a child with PKU is placed on a low protein diet for the first 12 years

the disorder PKU (nature) is not expressed because of an altered environment (low protein diet - nurture)

nature vs nurture - what are good ways to investigate the effects of nature and nurture on behaviour

twin and adoption studies

nature vs nurture - what study supports the use of twin studies

Nestadt 2010

• examined previous twin studies in relation to OCD

• found an average concordance rate of 68% in MZ twins and 31% in DZ twins, highlighting a significant genetic influence

gender bias - define geneder bias

the tendency to hold prejudiced views based on gender that may influence the interpretation of research and the formation of hypotheses

gender bias - define alpha bias

exaggerating the differences between men and women

gender bias - define beta bias

downplaying the differences between men and women

gender bias - define androcentrism

a male centered view of the world, in which female behaviour is different from the ‘norm’ and can be deemed abnormal

gender bias - define gynocentrism

theories which are centered on or focused on females

gender bias - example of alpha bias

Freud’s psychosexual stages

gender bias - example of beta bias

schizophrenia research

beta bias - example of androcentrism

Freud’s theories

cultural bias - define universality

the aim to develop theories that apply to all people, which may include real differences. this links to the nomothetic approach

cultural bias - what does bias in research reduce?

reduces the universality of psychological findings

culture bias - define cultural bias

the tendency to judge people in terms of one’s own cultural assumptions

cultural bias - what two bias exist in both gender and culture bias

beta and alpha bias

culture bias - define ethnocentrism

seeing the world only from one’s own cultural perspective and believing that this one perspective is both normal and correct

culture bias - define cultural relativism

insists that behaviour can be properly understood only if the cultural context is taken into consideration

culture bias - name an example of ethnocentric research

Ainsworth’s strange situation

culture bias - example of cultural relativism

milgrams study

• conducted on 40 american males

• replicated on spanish students and found over 90% obedience, and on australian students, where only 16% of female ppts continued to the highest voltage

social sensitivity - define ethical implications