The Nature versus Nurture Debate
The Nature versus Nurture Debate
Eric R. Perry
Western Governors University
Table of Contents
1. Controversial Elements of the Nature Nurture Debate………………………………………………………………………………. 3
2. BoBo Doll Study versus 44 Thieves Study………………………………………… 3-5
3. Reference Page………………………………………………………………………. 6
What Is Controversial in the Nature Nurture Debate?
The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest psychological debates in history. Its focus is around the impact of genetic inheritance and environmental factors on human development. This means that nativists, the nature side of the debate, believes that one is “born that way”. In contrast empiricists, the nurture side of the debate, believe that traits are learned through life experiences due to one’s environment. Some of the largest controversies are centered on homosexuality and influences on intelligence. (Cherry 2012) notes that “Today, the majority of experts believe that development and behavior are influenced by both nature and nurture.” While there are very few experts that take extreme views of empiricism or nativism, the debate rages on about exactly how much nature and nurture impacts human development respectively.
Bobo Doll Study versus 44 Thieves Study According to (McLeod 2011) “In social learning theory Albert Bandura (1977) states behavior is learned through the process of observational learning. The participants in the bob doll study (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961) were 36 toddler boys and 36 toddler girls from the Stanford University nursery school. For this experiment, each child was exposed to a scenario individually as to not be distracted by peers. The main focus of the experiment was the aggression scenario. During the aggressive model scenario, a child and an adult were placed in opposite corners of a room. The adult would use toys to interact with a bob doll, and the child
Eric R. Perry
Western Governors University
Table of Contents
1. Controversial Elements of the Nature Nurture Debate………………………………………………………………………………. 3
2. BoBo Doll Study versus 44 Thieves Study………………………………………… 3-5
3. Reference Page………………………………………………………………………. 6
What Is Controversial in the Nature Nurture Debate?
The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest psychological debates in history. Its focus is around the impact of genetic inheritance and environmental factors on human development. This means that nativists, the nature side of the debate, believes that one is “born that way”. In contrast empiricists, the nurture side of the debate, believe that traits are learned through life experiences due to one’s environment. Some of the largest controversies are centered on homosexuality and influences on intelligence. (Cherry 2012) notes that “Today, the majority of experts believe that development and behavior are influenced by both nature and nurture.” While there are very few experts that take extreme views of empiricism or nativism, the debate rages on about exactly how much nature and nurture impacts human development respectively.
Bobo Doll Study versus 44 Thieves Study According to (McLeod 2011) “In social learning theory Albert Bandura (1977) states behavior is learned through the process of observational learning. The participants in the bob doll study (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961) were 36 toddler boys and 36 toddler girls from the Stanford University nursery school. For this experiment, each child was exposed to a scenario individually as to not be distracted by peers. The main focus of the experiment was the aggression scenario. During the aggressive model scenario, a child and an adult were placed in opposite corners of a room. The adult would use toys to interact with a bob doll, and the child
References: Cherry, K. (2012). What is Nature versus Nurture? Retrieved from: http://psychology.about.com/od/nindex/g/nature-nurture.htm McLeod, S. (2011). Bandura –Social Learning Theory. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html McLeod, S. (2011). Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html