Exploring Nature versus Nurture Debate: Genetic Vs. Environmental Influence

2. Ao1- Markscheme Have you included the language in bold in your plan? Possible content: • Debate about the relative contributions of heredity/inheritance and the environment or learningin determining behaviour • Nature side of the debate assumes heredityis more important • Nurture side of the debate assumes environment and experience is more important • Nature aspect is rooted in nativist theory that knowledge/abilities are innate e.g genetic explanations Example of Genetic expl- e.gocd • Nurture rooted in empiricist theory that knowledge derives from learning/experience Example e.gBehaviouristsview of the mind as a ‘tabula rasa’ or blank slate on which experiences are written e.g Classical coniditoning and attachment Give them a mark out of 6 for the Ao1 Outline 3 marks for nature with correct terminology and example 3 marks for nurture with correct terminology and example

3. Ao3 Evaluation • Locate the evaluation in the plan • Have they P E E L planned? If not add or adapt this plan in a different colour e.g Point- the complexities of the debate -nature can affect nurture and vica Example, Maguire’s study on London taxi drivers, hippocampus, Neural plasticity Elaborate: experience (nurture) and so nurture has affected nature. Link- (back to the DEBATE) difficulty in separating nature from nurture when attempting to explain human behaviour. Give them a mark out of 3 for each of their planned paragraphs….. • 3/3 if all PEELd and as detailed as above • 2/3 if peeld but not detailed • 1/3 if not PEELD and annotate in what they should be • 3/3 in all? -Give them an extra mark if they have got 9/9 so they have a total of 10 marks

4. Investigating the role of Nature and Nurture Write answers to the questions below: • How do we conducted research into the role of nature (genes) and nurture (environment) and why is it often so difficult? Who are often our participants? • If I found 10 sets of MZ twins and studied their behaviour why would this provide a limited contribution to our understanding of the nature nurture debate? • So what could we do instead? Why? We are going to look at a shocking case study where researchers purposefully separated triplets at birth without them knowing!....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-OF0OaK3o0

5. How does the A03 differ in Issues and debates?? We do not consider “one strength of” and weaknesses of nature or nurture We consider and discuss the whole debate We discuss the value of the debate and its contribution to our understanding of human behaviour Answer the following questions: • Is behaviour more nature or nurture? Why?Benefits of adopting a Nativistic view? • Benefits of adopting an Empiricist view? • What are the negative implications of adopting a nativist view? Empiricist view? • So…Which side is a “better” explanation of behaviour? • Benefits of adopting an interactionist approach? • Issues with adopting an interactionist approach?

6. “Discuss” Our P’s “Points” should be discursive rather than evaluative Avoid “One weakness of the nature vs nurture debate is that it fails to consider that nature effects nurture..” Instead.. “ One of the complexities of the nature vs nurture debate is that nurture can affect nature and vice versa. For example, Maguire’s study on London taxi drivers show..” You have a go….(just think, don’t write!) Avoid “One further weakness of the nature vs nurture debate is that nature may directly impact nurture” Instead… Advice- Just simply getting rid of the “One strength” or “one weakness” is good practice anyway and just by doing this we can simply convert our evaluation into a discussion Still not sure? Look at the model essay and how the points are structured Look at the way in which the evaluation points are structured in the pack and create your own plans from them

7. Ao3- Discuss The Nature vs Nurture debate Possible content • Links with approaches in psychology eg how the biological approach supports the nature side of the debate • Use of examples from topics to support arguments • Need to take an interactionist approach rather than a dichotomous view