Nature-Nurture Approaches
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 8.1.13
Psychological Approaches - Nature/Nurture Debate
There are five psychological approaches: psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, behaviourist, and humanistic. They vary on where they fall on the nature-nurture spectrum.
The psychodynamic approach
- The psychodynamic approach is an interaction of nature and nurture.
- Freud believed that personalities were due to both innate instincts (nature) and experiences (nurture).
- The instincts manifest themselves in the id (the animalistic drive to find food, mates and shelter).
The psychodynamic approach cont.
- But experiences will also influence and shape personality.
- For example, experiences during certain stages can result in fixations.
- If a child experiences too much pleasure during the oral stage of development, this can result in oral fixations such as smoking or nail-biting.
The biological approach
- The biological approach is solely a nature approach.
- The approach looks at the role of genetics, brain structure, brain chemistry, and behaviour.
The biological approach cont.
- Generally, genetic traits are passed down from generation to generation if they are advantageous to our survival.
- For example, aggression in males and caring in females is beneficial to the survival of offspring.
- But because learning can happen, the environment still has influence.
- For example, learning can overcome genetic predispositions in brain structure.
Psychological Approaches - Nature/Nurture Debate
There are five psychological approaches: psychodynamic, biological, cognitive, behaviourist, and humanistic. They vary on where they fall on the nature-nurture spectrum.
The cognitive approach
- The cognitive approach leans towards the nature side. But there is some influence of the environment.
- The cognitive development theory by Piaget states that for innate genetic processes to happen, environmental influences still must be present.
Piaget
- Piaget states that all children are born with the innate ability to develop.
- These are in the form of reflexes and senses.
- But these need to have environmental input to progress.
The behaviourist approach
- The behaviourist approach, as opposed to the biological approach, falls deeply on the nurture side.
- Social learning relies heavily on those surrounding the person.
- Behaviours are learnt from others through conditioning.
- The few exceptions would be innate abilities like swallowing, blinking, breathing, etc.
The humanistic approach
- Finally, the humanistic approach also falls on the nurture end of the spectrum with one component on the nature side.
- Self-actualisation is when a person achieves their full potential.
- There is a basic need to want to do so. So this is one component of the humanistic approach that is on the nature side.
- To be able to self-actualise, people need to experience the world. So the environment is crucial.
Test yourself on Nature-Nurture Approaches
Which of these did Freud NOT associate with the id's animal drive?
Which of these behaviours is considered NOT to be innate (nature) by the behaviourist approach?