The nature-nurture debate: the relative importance of heredity and environment in determining behaviour
The nature-nurture debate asks whether genes or life experiences shape who we are. Psychologists disagree about how much each side contributes to behaviour.
Real World
The Minnesota Twin Study (Bouchard, 1990) found that identical twins raised apart still showed remarkably similar IQ scores and personality traits, providing strong evidence that heredity plays a significant role alongside environment.
Exam Focus
Avoid treating nature and nurture as an either/or — always acknowledge both sides before evaluating which evidence is stronger.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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