ISSUES AND DEBATES
,DEBATES
, NATURE VS NURTURE
Nature- behaviour is caused by innate characteristics, such as neurotransmitters, brain
structure or genetics. It is deterministic by suggesting everything is predetermined by
hereditary factors. (Raine et al.)
Nurture- we are born as an empty vessel that learns behaviour from the environment- wha
we are taught, observe or from different experiences. Deterministic to assume all behaviou
is a result of the environment. There is no limit to what an individual can achieve as it
depends on the quality of the environment. (Watson + Rayner)
Interactionist- the same environment will have different effects on different people due to t
fact that we all have varying genetics.
• Epigenetics- genes are shaped by the environment (or influenced by it), i.e. genetic
vulnerability to schizoephrenia may be triggered by the environment (stress diathesis
model)
• Maguire et al.- taxi cab study, drivers had a larger hippocampus as they had more to
remember.
,DEBATES
, NATURE VS NURTURE
Nature- behaviour is caused by innate characteristics, such as neurotransmitters, brain
structure or genetics. It is deterministic by suggesting everything is predetermined by
hereditary factors. (Raine et al.)
Nurture- we are born as an empty vessel that learns behaviour from the environment- wha
we are taught, observe or from different experiences. Deterministic to assume all behaviou
is a result of the environment. There is no limit to what an individual can achieve as it
depends on the quality of the environment. (Watson + Rayner)
Interactionist- the same environment will have different effects on different people due to t
fact that we all have varying genetics.
• Epigenetics- genes are shaped by the environment (or influenced by it), i.e. genetic
vulnerability to schizoephrenia may be triggered by the environment (stress diathesis
model)
• Maguire et al.- taxi cab study, drivers had a larger hippocampus as they had more to
remember.
