Issues and Debates: Nature V Nurture debate
Nature (Descartes)
This refers to inherited influences or heredity (genetic transmission of mental/physical
characteristics from one generation to another). It argues that all human characteristics including
some aspects of knowledge are innate. Psychological characteristics like intelligence and personality
are determined by biological factors, just as physical ones like eye colour.
Example from course: Sociobiological theory is the idea that sexual mating behaviour is due to the
adaptive nature to pass on our genes.
Nurture
Refers to the influence of experience and environment. Empiricists like John Locke argued that the
mind is a 'tabula Rosa', Latin for blank slate, where we are mostly shaped by our environment.
Lerner (1986) identified different levels of environment.
Prenatal factors; how physical influences e.g. smoking or social condition. Most common to
affect foetus
Psychological factors; e.g. music.
Example from course: Nurture is the basis for the behaviourist approach to psychology. They
believe we learn based on associations of our environment, through classical and operant
conditioning.
The interactionist approach: Nothing is more influenced by one or the other because
behaviours/characteristics are influenced by a combination of both. Therefore, this 'debate' is really
a discussion about how nature and nurture interact with each other in a way that can't be predicted
by each one separately.
Diathesis stress model: Suggests behaviour is caused by a biological predisposition which makes one
vulnerable (Diathesis) but perhaps is only expressed when coupled with an environmental trigger
(stress)
Epigenetics: Refer to changes in genetic activity without changes in the genetical code, caused by
interaction with environments. E.g. Smoking can 'leave a mark' on our DNA, which can switch genes
on or off. So even if you stop smoking, genes will still be expressed differently and alter the genetic
codes of your descendant children.
Nature (Descartes)
This refers to inherited influences or heredity (genetic transmission of mental/physical
characteristics from one generation to another). It argues that all human characteristics including
some aspects of knowledge are innate. Psychological characteristics like intelligence and personality
are determined by biological factors, just as physical ones like eye colour.
Example from course: Sociobiological theory is the idea that sexual mating behaviour is due to the
adaptive nature to pass on our genes.
Nurture
Refers to the influence of experience and environment. Empiricists like John Locke argued that the
mind is a 'tabula Rosa', Latin for blank slate, where we are mostly shaped by our environment.
Lerner (1986) identified different levels of environment.
Prenatal factors; how physical influences e.g. smoking or social condition. Most common to
affect foetus
Psychological factors; e.g. music.
Example from course: Nurture is the basis for the behaviourist approach to psychology. They
believe we learn based on associations of our environment, through classical and operant
conditioning.
The interactionist approach: Nothing is more influenced by one or the other because
behaviours/characteristics are influenced by a combination of both. Therefore, this 'debate' is really
a discussion about how nature and nurture interact with each other in a way that can't be predicted
by each one separately.
Diathesis stress model: Suggests behaviour is caused by a biological predisposition which makes one
vulnerable (Diathesis) but perhaps is only expressed when coupled with an environmental trigger
(stress)
Epigenetics: Refer to changes in genetic activity without changes in the genetical code, caused by
interaction with environments. E.g. Smoking can 'leave a mark' on our DNA, which can switch genes
on or off. So even if you stop smoking, genes will still be expressed differently and alter the genetic
codes of your descendant children.
