The Nature-Nurture Debate

What is the nature nurture debate?

Examples of the influence of…. What is the example? How is it an example? Examples of the influence of…. Nature Nurture Twin studies Laura, Andi, Portia, Evolutionary explanation of gender/aggression/attachment /relationships Alex, Beza, Habiba Behaviourism and attachment Dojan, Samantha Social learning theory and aggression Fowse, Yasmin, Gabby Family environment and schizophrenia (double-bind) Nawa, Josh

Put the approaches on a continuum Nature Interactionism Nurture

What do these images all have in common?

Extreme Nature- Nativism US Eugenics- selective breeding and sterilization to reduce the “burden” on society. Low IQ, poor, minorities. Forced sterilizations. California led the way; 20,000 between 1927 and the 1970s. Buck v. Bell (1927), sterilized Carrie Buck for promiscuity as evidenced by her giving birth to a baby out of wedlock (some suggest she was raped). Supreme Court Justice said, “It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind....Three generations of imbeciles is enough” (Black 2003). Extreme Nature- Nativism

Lomroso’s Atavistic Form The Criminal Man Facial Characteristics “Projection of the lower face and jaws found in negroes.” “Oblique eyelids, a Mongolian characteristic.” A nose with a “tip rising like an isolated peak from the swollen nostrils, a form found among the Akkas, a tribe of pygmies of Central Africa.”

For example… This is an issue because… On the other hand… One weakness of taking an extreme position can be that it is used for social control.

Remember this study from Schizophrenia? Tienari et all 2004 Finnish Adoption Study 20,000 women hospital records for schizophrenia 145 kids adopted away from schizophrenic mothers (high risk) 158 adoptees without genetic link (low risk) 14 in total developed schizophrenia 11 of these were high risk group. Those high risk in healthy adoptive families less likely to develop schiz. Those in low risk group with unhealthy family dynamics were more likely to develop schiz.

Tienari found that when studying 145 kids adopted away from schizophrenic mothers (high risk) to 158 adoptees without genetic link (low risk) and taking into account the quality of the family life, that 14 in total developed schizophrenia, 11 of these were high risk group. Also those high risk in healthy adoptive families less likely to develop schiz. Those in low risk group with unhealthy family dynamics were more likely to develop schiz. This supports both nature and nurture because… Taking an interactionist approach also has positive implications for therapy because…. One strength of an interactionist approach is it has supporting evidence.

Why don’t Rainbow and CC look the same? Rainbow the cloned cat Why don’t Rainbow and CC look the same?

Epigenetics Research has shown that opposed to genes acting as a blueprint, they act as a switchboard. Certain life experiences (stress, malnutrition) turn the genetic switches on or off. This is then passed down through generations CC had the same blueprint, but different epigenetic material from the donor cell. This technically means we can inherit our parent’s behavioural choices!

Research has shown that opposed to genes acting as a blueprint, they act as a switchboard. Certain life experiences (stress, malnutrition) turn the genetic switches on or off. This is then passed down through generations. This can explain why CC looks different to rainbow, as CC had the same blueprint, but different epigenetic material from the donor cell. This is a strength because it suggests that… Understanding this interaction also has implications for real life for example… One strength of taking account of both sides of the debate is new research into epigenetics