Nature & Nurture in Brain Development (AQA GCSE Psychology)
Revision Note
Written by: Claire Neeson
Reviewed by: Lucy Vinson
The role of nature in brain development
Nature (in terms of human behaviour and functioning) refers to:
biological/physiological factors
innate mechanisms/functions/responses
mechanisms/functions/responses that are not a product of environment/learning
The ‘nature’ side of the nature-nurture debate argues that we are born with reflexes and behaviours which aid survival e.g. crying for attention
Early brain development tends to follow the same pattern for all humans but some people may inherit genetic conditions which means that their brains develop differently:
Some genetic brain disorders are a result of the brain not producing enough of certain proteins necessary for healthy brain development
Serious brain disorders can cause problems with the nervous system e.g. Wilson disease
Wilson disease is a rare inherited disorder that prevents the body from getting rid of extra copper (too much of which can be poisonous)
Wilson disease can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and eyes; it is present from birth, hence it is a product of nature
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is absolutely VITAL that you don’t confuse nature with nurture: the two are opposed so if you have to make a quick note on your exam paper then do so!
Nature = what we are born with
Nurture = what we learn via our environment.
The role of nurture in brain development
Nurture (in terms of human behaviour and functioning) refers to environmental factors e.g. upbringing, home life, education, peers
The ‘nurture’ side of the nature-nurture debate argues that the physical and psychological environment into which a baby is born influences their behaviour
The uterus is a baby’s first environment; it can be affected by both positive and negative external sources:
Mothers getting proper, healthy nutrition during pregnancy
Maternal smoking (this can impede the baby’s brain development)
Infection e.g. Zika virus (which impedes head and skull growth), rubella (which can result in hearing loss)
Hearing their mother’s voice (research shows that babies respond to this, hence they have got used to hearing it whilst in the womb)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Currently no psychologist will argue 100% for nature or nurture as the sole explanation for any human behaviours: they agree that there is an interaction between the two and that this provides the most satisfactory explanation of them all
Worked Example
Here is an example of a question you might be asked on this topic - for AO1 and AO3.
AO1: You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
AO3: You need to analyse and evaluate key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
After each featured question there is a ‘model’ answer i.e. one which would achieve top marks in the exam.
Research into brain development could take the form of a case study.
Question: Outline what is meant by a case study. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of case studies to investigate human behaviour. [9]
AO1 = 4 marks
AO3 = 5 marks
AO1: Outline what is meant by a case study.
Model answer:
A case study is an in-depth investigation of one individual or a small group of people.
A case study investigates people who have unique experiences or an unusual condition/disorder e.g. someone who has survived an earthquake; or someone who has severe amnesia.
A case study uses a range of methods, some of which may be quantitative e.g. memory test, personality rating; some of which may be qualitative e.g. interview, observation.
A case study usually takes weeks, months or years to complete (it is longitudinal).
AO3: Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of case studies to investigate human behaviour.
Model answer:
One strength of a case study is that it allows the researcher to gain rich, insightful data about the subjective nature and quality of an individual’s experience.
Another strength of a case study is that it can investigate topics ethically e.g. it would be unethical to manipulate memory loss in someone so using someone with pre-existing amnesia means the researcher can avoid unethical practices.
A weakness of a case study is that, because it generally uses only one participant the results are not generalisable as they represent that participant’s experience/views/condition only.
Another weakness of a case study is that the researcher may become too close to the participant and lose their objective view of them which could invalidate the data.
A further weakness of a case study is that the participant may feel that they wish to withdraw from the study but - due to the time put in already by the researcher - they may feel unable to (in which case ethics become an issue).
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