The Nature - Nurture Debate
Nature
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Nurture
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Approach
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Roots of the Approach - nativist philosophy, biology (physiology and genetics), evolutionary theory.
Causes of Behaviour - genetic determinism, inherited influence,
maturational blueprint, neurochemical and hormonal influences, brain
activity.
Methods Employed - gene/chromosome mapping, twin and adoption studies, brain scanning or damage studies, drug testing.
Implications - due to biological determinism, behaviour can only be
changed through physical means, such as selective breeding (eugenics),
gene therapy, brain surgery, or drugs.
Criticism - reductionist, ignores the other side of the debate. |
Roots of the Approach - empiricistic philosophy, behaviourism, social psychology.
Causes of Behaviour - the mind is regarded as a 'tabula rasa' (blank
slate) at birth, therefore, knowledge and behaviour are the result of
experience and learning from the environment.
Methods Employed - use of classical and operant conditioning techniques
to affect behaviour, manipulation of the social environment to change
behaviour.
Implications - due to environmental determinism, behaviour can easily
be changed through manipulation, reinforcement, and environmental
conditions. Anybody could be trained to do anything.
Criticism - reductionist, ignores the other side of the debate.
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Areas of Explanation
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Perception
- research conducted by Robert L. Fantz, Bower, Gibson and Walk on
new-born babies indicated pattern detection, size constancy and depth
perceptions are innate abilities.
Aggression - The ethologist, Lorenz and
psychoanalyst Freud believed that aggression is an innate drive.
Bio-psychologists have examined the role of hormones and brain areas in
aggression.
Sex-role Behaviour - Bio-psychologists propose gender identity is a direct result of genetic and hormonal influences.
Abnormality - the biomedical approach has identified genetic and neurochemical markers as causes of mental disorder.
Language Acquisition - Noam Chomsky proposed that language is gained through the use of a language acquistion device.
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Perception
- research into perception by Hebb on cataract removal and Turnbull on
cross-cultural differences indicated that perceptual identification is
a learnt ability.
Aggression - Social Learning Theory argues that aggression is learned
from the environment through observation and imitation. Social
psychologists study conformity to aggressive norms.
Sex-Role Behaviour - Cultural relativism and learning theory argue that gender is socially constructed and reinforced.
Abnormality - the environment plays a role in the development of phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and anorexia.
Language Acquisition - Skinner argued that language is learned from other people via natural behaviour shaping techniques.
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While some researcher have aimed to investigate the relative
contributions of innate and environmental factors in psychology, it is
now accepted that the two influences form a continuum and interact so
thoroughly with each other that they are virtually inseparable.
Even seemingly direct genetic influences, such as those
on the physical development of the brain, are affected by envirnomental
factors from the inside of the womb to the pollution of the
atmosphere. Many genes could impose a susceptibility to develop
in certain ways or provide a 'norm of reaction' - a genetic potential
that may or may not be realised by environmental circumstances.
In a similar way environmental experiences are mediated by not only
innate abilities but even by the physical structure of the body e.g.
what gender or skin colour it has.
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The Standing of the Different Approaches in Psychology
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Nature
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Nurture
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Biopsychology
Focuses on genetic, physiological, hormonal and neurochemical explanation of behaviour. |
Psychoanalysis
Focuses on instinctual drives of sex and aggression, expressed with the
restrictions imposed by society via the ego and superego. |
Cognitive Psychology
Focuses on innate information processing abilities or schemata that are constantly refined by experience. |
Humanism
While accepting basic physiological needs, the focus is upon the person's experience of their social and physical environment.
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Behaviourism
Focuses on the acquisition of virtually all behaviours from the environment via conditioning.
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