1. To Start: Meet the parents who are raising a genderless baby…
The Big Question is WHY?
What does this suggest about human behaviour? Particularly our gender?
A Canadian couple from Toronto have decided to keep the gender of their four-month-old baby a secret in order to raise what they call a 'genderless' child. Storm will be raised as neither a boy nor girl and will choose a sex when he or she grows up.
Kathy Witterick and David Stocker have only revealed Storm’s gender to close members of the family, including their two young sons, one friend and the midwives who delivered the child.
After Storm was born on New Year’s Day, the parents sent out an to the rest of their friends and loved ones, writing: “We’ve decided not to share Storm’s sex - a tribute to choice in a place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime ( a more progressive place?...).”

2. Specification Specification link:
This workbook will cover the following topics from the specification.
Gender and culture in psychology – universality and bias. Gender bias including androcentrism and alpha and beta bias; culture bias, including ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
Free will and determinism: hard determinism and soft determinism; biological, environmental and psychic determinism. The scientific emphasis on causal explanations.
The nature-nurture debate: the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour; the interactionist approach.
Holism and reductionism: levels of explanation in psychology. Biological reductionism and environmental (stimulus-response) reductionism.
Idiographic and nomothetic approaches to psychological investigation.
Ethical implications of research studies and theory, including reference to social sensitivity.

3. Lesson Objectives
To understand (describe), apply (give examples of) and evaluate (discuss) the Nature – Nurture debate.

4. Nature-Nurture Debate
The idea that nature and nurture are linked to such an extent that it does not make sense to separate the two, so researchers instead study how they interact and influence each other.
Innate Characteri stics
Behaviour is a product of environmental influences.
Nurture
A parent may react more positively to a child who is easy going and happy than a moody and demanding child. The home environment is a reaction to the predisposition of the child.
Acquired Characteri stics
Characteristics we are born with.
Interactio nist approach
Traits we acquire or pick up from our environment through life.
Reactive Influence
Sporty parents may provide an environment that is very sporty for their children. The environment is linked to the parent’s genetic makeup and passively transmitted to their children through their environment.
Passive influence
Behaviour is seen to be a product of innate (biological or genetic) factors.

5. Diathesis Stress model
Nature-Nurture Debate
Diathesis Stress model
This refers to a change in our genetic activity without changing our genetic code. It is a process which happens throughout life and is caused by interaction with the environment. For example, smoking and diet.
Active Influence
This model emphasises the interaction between nature and nurture and tends to be the most persuasive when it comes to explaining behaviour.
Epigenetics
A sociable child is more likely to seek out friends who are similar and engage with different people than a shy child. The genetic make-up of a child seeks to develop in an environment that is similar to their predisposed characteristics.

6. Nature-Nurture Debate
Behaviour is seen to be a product of innate (biological or genetic) factors.
Innate Characteri stics
Characteristics we are born with.
Nurture
Behaviour is a product of environmental influences.
Acquired Characteri stics
Traits we acquire or pick up from our environment through life.
The idea that nature and nurture are linked to such an extent that it does not make sense to separate the two, so researchers instead study how they interact and influence each other.
Interactio nist approach
Reactive Influence
A parent may react more positively to a child who is easy going and happy than a moody and demanding child. The home environment is a reaction to the predisposition of the child.
Passive influence
Sporty parents may provide an environment that is very sporty for their children. The environment is linked to the parent’s genetic makeup and passively transmitted to their children through their environment.

7. Diathesis Stress model
Nature-Nurture Debate
Diathesis Stress model
This model emphasises the interaction between nature and nurture and tends to be the most persuasive when it comes to explaining behaviour.
Active Influence
A sociable child is more likely to seek out friends who are similar and engage with different people than a shy child. The genetic make-up of a child seeks to develop in an environment that is similar to their predisposed characteristics.
Epigenetics
This refers to a change in our genetic activity without changing our genetic code. It is a process which happens throughout life and is caused by interaction with the environment. For example, diet.

8. Which one is nature and which one is nurture?
Ring any bells?
Nativist ( ) – some aspects of human behaviour are innate and hereditary.
Rene Descartes
John Locke
Empiricist, ( ) – we are born as a slate at birth – experience dictates who we are and our behaviour.
Which one is nature and which one is nurture?

10. Now for some Synoptic Links…
Nature
Nurture
1) Place each of the approaches on your continuum and justify their positions.
2) Now think of research from both first and second year that you can use that supports the nature, nurture and interactionist approach.

11. Task
You have been given research that you should be familiar with from AS and A2
Your task is to decide whether the research is supporting….
Nature
Nurture
Interactionist approach
Justify your answer

12. NATURE V NURTURE Debate and links to research
For example, the concordance rate for a mental disorder such as SZ is about 40% for MZ twins and 7% for DZ twins. This shows that nature is a major contribution to the disorder.
For example, in 2006, police were called to a disturbance in Tennessee. Police found Bradley Waldroup attacking his estranged wife and the body of Leslie Bradshaw, who was a friend of Waldroup’s wife.
Waldroup had gone to pick up his children from his estranged wife’s home. The children were present during the attack and reports state that the attack was committed in a calm and methodical manner.
Waldroup was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. His defence argued that he possessed the ‘warrior gene’ This gene is implicated in aggressive behaviour due to excessive amounts of neurotransmitters in the system.
Therefore Waldroup was born aggressive and experienced abuse as a child. This combination is said to make an individual more violent by 400%.
AS a result Waldroup avoided the death penalty and was given a reduced sentence of 32 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2026.
 For example, Bowlby proposed that attachment was adaptive because it meant an infant was more likely to be protected and therefore more likely to survive. Attachment behaviours are therefore naturally selected.

13. NATURE V NURTURE Debate and links to research
For example, behaviourists suggested that attachment could be explained in terms of classical conditioning (food is the mother who feeds the baby) or operant conditioning (food reduces the discomfort of hunger and is therefore rewarding)
For example, Bandura acknowledged the urge to behave aggressively might be biological, but the important point was that the way a person learns to express anger is acquired through environmental influences (direct & indirect reinforcement).

14. Interactionist approach
Attachment
Attachment patterns between caregiver and infant are often the result of a two-way process
The child’s innate temperament will influence the way its parents respond to it.
Their response will in turn affect the child’s behaviour.
Behaviour
Nature
Nurturee

15. Research Example B Maguire et al. (2000)- Taxi driver study
Structural MRI scans of the brains of licensed London taxi drivers were compared with controls who did not drive taxis.
Hippocampal volume correlated with the amount of time spent as a taxi driver
It appears the brain has the capacity for plasticity (the ability to change)- the structure of the brain can alter in response to environmental demands.

16. Genes may have an indirect effect on environment
Rutter & Rutter described how aggressive children think and behave in ways that lead other children to respond to them in a hostile way.
This then reinforces the antisocial child’s view of the world.
Aggressive children tend to experience aggressive environments.
What does this show?
Genes may have an indirect effect on environment

17. Interactionist approach
Plomin et al. (1977) put forward the idea of ‘passive influence’: A parents’ genes influence aspects of their behaviour, creating a certain type of environment for their children.
For example, parents with a genetically determined mental illness may create an unsettled home environment and therefore the child’s mental disorder could be the result of indirect influences.
How does this demonstrate the interactionist approach?

18. Interactionist approach
Diathesis stress model suggests that psychopathology is caused by a biological vulnerability (diathesis) which is only expressed when couple with a biological or environmental trigger (the stressor).
Tienari found that in a group of adoptees those most likely to develop SZ had biological relatives with a history of the disorder (diathesis) and relationships with their adoptive families that were dysfunctional (the stress/trigger)

19. Epigenetics….strong support for an interactionist approach
Epigenetics suggests the choices we make now could influence our grandchildren.
Ressler (2014) gave male lab mice electric shocks every time they were exposed to a chemical used in perfume.
As any behaviourist would predict, the mice quickly learnt to show fear as soon as the scent was presented.
Surprisingly the rats’ children also showed fear of the smell even though they had never been exposed to it and so did their grandchildren.

20. Evaluation: Nature vs. Nurture

21. AO3 Evaluation Nature-Nurture
Nativists and the idea that our destiny is entirely controlled by our genes is very deterministic…
Equally as controversially, behaviourists believe that our behaviour can be entirely shaped by nurture…
Nevertheless behaviourism has contributed some practical applications to society including therapies such as token economy.
While Psychologists seek to support the nature side of the debate with twin studies, these studies often ignore the effects of shared environments.
Plomin (1994), it is impossible to try to separate nature and nurture influences on children’s behaviour. A constructivist approach should be adopted instead.

22. The nature- nurture debate is reductionist and deterministic
The nature- nurture debate is reductionist and deterministic. For example, the nature side of the debate suggests we are predetermined to develop behaviours from birth and ignores free will. It does not account for the environment in its explanation. This therefore makes it reductionist. Equally the nurture debate is reductionist as it suggests all behaviours displayed are as a result of the environment therefore ignoring nature/genetics.
It is difficult to separate nature and nurture as one influences the other. For example, there is an inherited disorder known as Phenylketonuria which causes brain damage as a baby. However, if the condition is detected at birth, an infant can be given a restricted diet which prevents brain damage. If we can achieve this through environmental changes, is this condition a result of (nature or nurture)?

23. There are practical applications for the nature side of the debate.
For example, drug therapies can be developed to treat behavioural or psychological problems that have a physiological origin. E.g. SSRI’s can be used to treat depression, Ritalin- ADHD.
There are practical applications for the nurture side of the debate.
For example, If behaviour is susceptible to environmental influences we need to consider how we adapt our environment.
E.g. How can we plan interventions for criminal behaviour and reduce aggression?

24. Plan… how would you answer the following question?
Discuss the nature-nurture debate in psychology. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer. (16 marks)
Plan… how would you answer the following question?

25. Link this to biology – twins and attachment
Discuss - Present key points about different ideas or strengths and weaknesses of an idea, in this case is it nature or nurture ? You must address the key issue of the relationship between heredity and environment
Address the Nature debate –assume that heredity is most important - behaviour, knowledge is innate.
Link this to biology – twins and attachment
Discuss the nature-nurture debate in psychology. Refer to at least two topics you have studied in your answer. (16 marks)
Address the Nurture debate - assume that environment is most important - we are born blank slates.
Link this to behaviourism and Zimbardo
Address the relationship – interactionism between the two
Link this to diathesis stress model and MacGuire study
Discussion – what about the nature/nurture debate?
it’s dangerous if we go to either extremes
We can’t separate them – isn’t the debate pointless?
Nature affects nurture
Epigentics indicates that interactionism is more likely
Scaffolded answer

27. Address the Nature debate – nativists assume that heredity is most important - behaviour, knowledge is innate.
You don’t have to explicitly link to another topic here –use one though to illustrate the debate – this stays AO1
Still a discuss – the quote at the beginning leads you to the nature/nurture/interaction debate - this is a much more explicit indication of the issue of the relationship between heredity and environment
‘Nature and nurture interact; both are vital to understanding and explaining human behaviour.’ Referring to this statement, discuss the nature-nurture debate in psychology. (Total 16 marks)
Address the Nurture debate – empiricists assume that environment is most important - we are born blank slates. You don’t have to explicitly link to another topic here –use one though to illustrate the debate – this stays AO1
Address the relationship – interactionism between the two, this is integral to the question – bring in MacGuire
Discussion – what about the nature/nurture debate?
it’s dangerous if we go to either extremes
We can’t separate them – isn’t the debate pointless?
Nature affects nurture
Epigentics indicates that interactionism is more likely

28. READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This question has less focus on bringing in other topics – if you leave topics out of this question you can still access level 4
If you fail to bring in topics in the first question you limit yourself to level 2!!
However arguably you cannot fully explain nature/nurture debate to an “accurate and well detailed” level without using the other topics to illustrate the debate fully
READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29. Model essay

30. Apply it! (AO2) The case of David Reimer
Explain the role of nature and/or nurture in the David Reimer case
Challenge:
How would each of the approaches explain the role of nature/nurture in this case?
The full documentary: