Instructor name Class Title, Term/Semester, Year Institution © 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Introductory Psychology Concepts Nature vs. Nurture

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2 Nature vs. Nurture Raising the issue of: Environmental causes of behavior (the influence of parents, siblings, friends, schooling, nutrition and other experiences) vs. Hereditary causes of behavior (those based on the genetic makeup of an individual that influence growth and development throughout life). Introductory Psychology Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 3 Nature vs. Nurture Psychologists today agree that both nature and nurture interact to produce specific developmental patterns and outcomes. The question has evolved into how and to what degree do environment and heredity both produce their results? Introductory Psychology Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 4 Genetics: Nature Developmental psychologists agree that genetic factors not only provide the potential for particular behaviors or traits to emerge, but also place limitations on the emergence of such behavior or traits. Heredity defines people’s general level of intelligence, setting an upper limit that people cannot exceed. Heredity also places limits on physical abilities. Introductory Psychology Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 5 Environment: Nurture Developmental psychologists also agree that in most instances environmental factors play a critical role in enabling people to reach the potential capabilities that their background makes possible. If Albert Einstein had received no intellectual stimulation as a child and had not been sent to school, it is unlikely that he would have reached his genetic potential. Introductory Psychology Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 6 Behavioral Genetics While a few psychologists believe that development is only nature or only nurture, most subscribe to the more realistic view that it is an interaction of nature (heredity) and nurture (environment) that brings about our development. Introductory Psychology Concepts: Nature vs. Nurture