The Approaches Stance on Nature-Nurture

Nature

• Physiological/Biological. Psychologists taking this approach believe that behaviour can be explained via innate influences such as hormones and genetic influences

• Psychoanalysis - Psychologists taking this approach believe that behaviour is controlled by the innate aggression and sex drives. They do recognise that society restricts these drives and that these drives are controlled via the ego and the supergo

Nurture

• Behaviourism - Behaviourists believe that human behaviour is learnt

• Humanism - This area of psychology explores the impact of a wide range of social and environmental influences on human behaviour.

• Developmental - Psychologists looking at development have explored many developmental factors, such as child rearing practices and the influence of role models, all of which have shaped human behaviour.

• Social - Social psychologists have identified the profound influence of other people and social phenomena such as conformity and group behaviour on our behaviour.

An Interaction between Nature and Nurture

• Cognitive - Cognitive psychology looks at innate cognitive abilities, but recognises that experience shapes these abilities.