YR 2: Week 1 TEST 2: Nature vs Nurture Debate

What is the nature vs nurture debate concerned with?

• The debate focuses solely on the role of education in shaping behavior.
• The relative contributions of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) on human development

• It examines the impact of social media on personality development.
• The discussion is about the effects of diet on mental health.

Answer explanation

The debate centres on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) to human development.​

What does the interactionist approach believe about the causes of behaviour?

• Behaviour is caused by the interaction of biological factors (genes) and environmental factors

• Behavior is solely determined by genetics.
• Social contexts have no impact on behavior.
• Individual traits are irrelevant to behavior.

Why is the genetic disorder of PKU an example of how both nature and nurture work together to shape human behaviour?

• PKU exemplifies the interplay of nature (genetic mutation) and nurture (dietary management) in shaping human behavior.
• PKU has no impact on human behavior.
• PKU is only influenced by genetic factors.
• PKU is solely caused by environmental factors.

Someone who inherits a gene that predisposes them to be good at playing a musical instrument is likely to be in an environment with other musicians and musical equipment.

What type of interaction is this?

Answer explanation

Nature affecting nurture:​

1. Reactive

This is where inherited characteristics (Musical talent) lead to different treatment from others​ (musicians lend out their equipment)

A naturally aggressive person may evoke an aggressive reaction from others, thus increasing aggressive behaviour.

What type of interaction is this?

• Nature affecting Nurture. Passive: The environment that the person shares is with the people they inherited their genes from.

• Nature affecting nurture:​

  1. Reactive: This is where inherited characteristics lead to different treatment from others

• Nurture affecting nature:​

  3. Active: A person who has an interest or talent in a particular thing, will seek to be in an environment that enhances that skill/behaviour​

• Nurture affecting Nature: Passive Constant practice in a particular behaviour or skill leads to changes in the brain.​

Answer explanation

Nature influencing nurture

Passive:

The environment that the person shares with the people they inherited their genes from. ​

Someone who has to learn a lot of information may find that their posterior hippocampus has become enlarged.

What type of interaction is this?

• Nature affecting Nature: Active: Constant practice in a particular behaviour or skill leads to changes in the brain.

• Nurture affecting Nature: Passive- (neural plasticity): Constant practice in a particular behaviour or skill leads to changes in the brain.

• Nurture affecting Nature: Active: (stress-diathesis): Constant practice in a particular behaviour or skill leads to changes in the brain.

Answer explanation

Nurture affecting Nature: Passive (neural plasticity): Constant practice in a particular behaviour or skill leads to changes in the brain.

Someone who has a talent for painting is likely to join an art class, which leads to them becoming better at painting.

What type of interaction is this?

• Nurture affecting nature:​

  Active: A person who has an interest or talent in a particular thing, will seek to be in an environment that enhances that skill/behaviour

• Nature affecting nurture:​

  Passive: A person who has an interest or talent in a particular thing, will seek to be in an environment that enhances that skill/behaviour

Answer explanation

Nurture affecting nature:​

Active: A person who has an interest or talent in a particular thing, will seek to be in an environment that enhances that skill/behaviour

What does the ‘diathesis’ part refer to, and what does the ‘stress’ part refer to?

• Diathesis refers to lifestyle choices; stress refers to personal relationships.
• Diathesis refers to emotional stability; stress refers to mental health issues.
• Diathesis refers to biological vulnerability; stress refers to external triggers.
• Diathesis refers to environmental factors; stress refers to genetic predisposition.

Neuroplasticity is an example of the interactionist approach. What is neuroplasticity?

• the interplay of nature (genetic mutation) and nurture (dietary management) in shaping human behaviour.​

• the study of how the ​

  environment and other factors can change the way that genes are expressed.​

• The brain’s tendency to change and adapt functionally and physically as a ​

  result of experience or learning

An example of the interactionist approach is epigenetics. What is this?

• The study of how the ​

  environment interacts with the brain

• The brain’s tendency to change and adapt functionally and physically as a ​

  result of experience or learning

• The study of how the ​

  environment and other factors can change the way that genes are 

  expressed.​