| What does nature mean? | The idea that human characteristics are innate, as the result of heredity - the genetic transmission of mental and physical characteristics from one generation to another |
| What is used to determine if something is influenced by genetics? | The heritability coefficient scale of 0-1 (is being completely genetic) |
| What does the nature explanation include/exclude? | Does not include things are present at birth, anything determined by your genes
References to evolutionary factors that we have inherited eg: the fight-or-flight response. |
| What does nuture mean? | States that environmental influences determine behaviour
Argue that the mind is a blank state at birth |
| What can the 'experiences' range from? | Pre-natal influences in the womb through to cultural and historical influences at a societal level
Nurture can affect an individual before and after birth (pre and post-natal) |
| What is the interactionist approach? | Doesn’t pin point if it s nature or nurture, collectively agreed that they are intertwined and therefore not practical attempt to separate the two. |
| what is the diathesis-stress model? | - The Diathesis is a predisposition or vulnerability
- The stress is environmental stressors,
-These will lead to a development of the disorder, a stress activates the predisposition within a person. |
| What is epigenetics? | Change in genetics activity, without changing genetic code
It is a process that happens throughout life and is caused by interaction with the environment |
| Example of epigenetics? | lifestyle choices like smoking and pollution which can leave epigenetic ‘marks’ on our DNA. Smoking could have long lasting impacts, as it tells the body which genes to activate
Tell our body what genes to ingnore and use - influence genetic code of our children |
| Why is epigenetics considered the third element of nature-nuture debate? | Introduces life experiences of previous generations. |
| A strength of nature v nuture? | -Interactionist approach can be seen as amore sensible in it's approach
-Twin studies that hope to separate the 2 elements often ignore the confounding variable of a shared neviornment growing up - menaing concordance rates are likley ue to nature and nuture
-Diathesis-stress model seen to explore how these interact, seeing as it is impractical to separate the 2 in twin studies, therefore providng a more realisitc explanation as it show how they can influence each other
-Appropriate epxlantion, therefore a holistic approach |
| A strength of nature v nuture? | -Research support for the influence of nature on humans
-Eg: discovery of the parahippocampal gyrus influences OCD as it is used to process negative emtions and seen to function abnoramlly with patients with OCD
-COMT gene has been associated with OCD with higher levels of dopamine found within OCD patients showing showing a abnormality within neurotransmitters
-Leads to development of treates like the use of SSRI's and other antidrepressants that has been effective in reducing OCD symptons within pateints to allow more serotonin to diffuse across the snypase without being reabsorbed. |
| A strength of nature v nuture? | -Research support fo the influence of nurutre on human behaviour
-Seen through Little Albert sutdy where psychologists used classical conditioning in order for Albert to associate a loud band with a rat, forming a phobia
-Shows how humans are blank slates as suggests and increases the internal validity of the approach as it shows how some behaviours can be conditoned instead of innate fears.
-Therefore, this has lead to effective treatments like systematic desensitisation and flooding which use the terms of classical and operant conditioning to help with phobias. |
| A weakness of nature v nuture? | -Extreem to both sides of the debate, which has negative implications
-Nativists usggest that genes determine behaviour which leads to controvsery, for example eugenics policies in 1920's US when peopel were steralised if they were deemed a drain on society: low IQ and mentally ill
-Empricits suggest behaviour is influenced by the enviornemtn - in the exreme, principles can be used to manipualte 'undesirable' behaviour, eg: converison theroapy in 1960's UK when LGBT people were given elecctric shocks to shop the 'unnatural behaviour'
-Both sides of the debate can be seen as hard deterministic views which can be used to control society. |
