Nature vs. Nurture

Culture

the behavior, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted over generations

Macrosystem (EST)

the cultural environment in which the person lives and all other systems that affect them -economy -cultural values -political systems

Chronosystem (EST)

the dimension of time in relation to a person's development -timing of events -historical events/conditions -technology

Mesosystem (EST)

the interactions between the different parts of a person's microsystem -influence one another -ex: relationship between parents and teacher

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

the scientific, cultural, and philosophical debate about whether human culture, behavior, and personality are caused primarily by "nature" or "nurture"

Microsystem (EST)

the system closest to the person annd the one in which they have direct contact -home -school -work -family -peers bidirectional relationships most influential level

monozygotic

twins that share 100% DNA (1 egg, 2 sperms)

dizygotic

twins that share an environment (2 eggs, 1 sperm)

Collectivist

societies that focus on group identification, shared set of values, and shared practices

Individualist

societies that focus on personal values, goals, and individual achievement

Behavioral Genetics

study of hereditary behaviors; focuses on what can change your phenotype, not your genotype

Darwin (contributions to Nature/Nurture debate)

Opened the door to the idea that humans could change over time and were NOT created "as is" per the Bible; wrote the Origin of the Species

Exosystem (EST)

a setting that does not involve the person as an active participant, but still affects them -a child becomes aware of a parent's promotion at work -parental professions (separation anxiety)

genotype

actual DNA

Francis Galton

biodeterminism: if we did indeed change over time (evolve) then we can shape our species; Eugenics movement - Nazism; intelligence and army building

Twin Studies

depending on if twins are monozygotic or dizygotic, psychologists have been able to determine the origins of behavior in the nature/nurture debate based on these studies

Bronfenbrenner Ecological Systems Theory (EST)

development affected by everything in a person's environment

"Nurture"

environmental influence; shaped largely by context situation after birth; the idea that you are born as "tabula rasa"; advocated by John Locke

phenotype

expression of your DNA (PHysical)

Epigenetic Landscape

illustrate the various developmental pathways a cell might take toward differentiation

"Nature"

your innate qualities; genes; DNA; advocated by Aristotle (Steven Pinker); your behavior is due largely in part to your physiology