Nature vs. Nurture
Nature vs. Nurture Quiz
Answer True or False for the following questions
 1. Even complex human traits are determined
by a single gene
 2. People’s divorce risks are about 50%
attributable to genetic factors
 3. Adoptees’ traits bear more similar to their
adoptive parents than to their biological parents
 4. Two different children in the same family are
on average as different from one another as are
pairs of children selected from the general
population
Nature vs. Nurture Quiz cont
5. If after a worldwide catastrophe only
Icelanders and Kenyans survived, the
human species would soon be just as
mixed and diverse as it is now
 6. A child who hears English spoken with
one accent at home and another in the
neighborhood or at school adopts the
accent of their peers, not their parents
 7. Compared with Westerners, people in
Japan exhibit greater concern for social
harmony and loyalty

Nature vs. Nurture Quiz cont
8. Seven weeks after conception, males
and females remain anatomically
identical
 9. Even when families discourage
gender typing, children still organize
themselves into “boy worlds” and “girl
worlds”

Nature vs. Nurture Quiz Answers
1. False
 2. True
 3. False
 4. True
 5. False
 6. True
 7. True
 8. True
 9. True

Heredity vs. Environment
Heredity- characteristics obtained
directly from the genes
 Environment- person’s surroundings
(which influence a person’s
characteristics)


Which do you think has the greatest
influence? Nature? Nurture? Why?
Heredity

Genes- basic units of heredity


Ex eye color, hair color, body build, etc.
Chromosomes- structures containing
genes

All human cells contain 46 chromosomes
(23 pairs), except for reproductive cells
which contain 23 chromosomes (1/2 of a
pair, so they can attach to the other half to
make a person)
Gender

X Chromosome
In both men and women (men have 1,
women have 2)
 X Chromosome from each parent produces a
female child


Y Chromosome
Only in men (men have 1)
 Y Chromosome when paired with the X
Chromosome from the mother produces a
male child

Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary Psychology- the study of
the evolution of behavior and the mind,
using the principles of natural selection
 Natural Selection- the principle that,
among the range of inherited trait
variations, those that lead to increase
reproduction and survival will most likely
be passed on to succeeding generations

Evolutionary Psychology

World wide, men preferred attractive
physical features suggesting youth and
health and women preferred resources
and social status
Evolutionary Psychology Quiz
Take Evolutionary Psychology Quiz
 #1 Most people picked 5 year old

More attached to older child, known longer
 Child speaks, has emotions, etc.
 Not as close to infant
 Infant can’t speak, do anything


#2 Most people picked 20 year old
20 year old still has a lot of life ahead, too
young to die
 40 year told has lived his/her life, older and
ready more ready to die

Evolutionary Psychology Quiz cont

#3 Men say younger

youth and appearance, better chance to
procreate, healthier
Women say older


settled, mature, family man
#4
Men and women rate kindness high
 Men rate attractiveness higher
 Men rate exciting personality higher
 Women rate ambition and motivation higher
 Women rate financial prospects higher

Evolutionary Psychology Quiz

#5 Most people say mother of the mother


#6 Most people say death of a son


Assume mothers are more nurturing and caring,
so double pick double mother
Men valued more, can carry on family name, can
provide for family if needed
#7 Most people say death of a healthy child
Not fair, sudden, child go on to procreate
 Unhealthy child ok, prepared for death

Evolutionary Psychology
Rate your 4 grandparents on a scale of
1-100 (1 cold, no relationship, 100 very
warm, great relationship)
 Do mother mother, mother father, father
mother, and father father
 Most people rate mother mother highest
and father father lowest
 Maybe grandparents follow Evolutionary
Psychology too?

Twin Studies
Used to debate “nature vs. nurture”
 Identical twins- one egg that splits



the most alike any 2 people can be
Fraternal twins- 2 eggs
as different as regular
siblings or 2 random people

Read about Minnesota
Twin Study

Individualism vs. Collectivism
Individualism- giving priority to one’s own goals
over group goals and defining one’s identity in
terms of personal attributes rather than group
identifications
 Collectivism- giving priority to the goals of one’s
group (often one’s extended family or work
group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
 Western cultures (America/Europe) tend to be
more individualist than Eastern cultures
(Asia/Africa)

Value Contrasts Between Individualism and Collectivism
Concept
Individualism
Collectivism
Self
Independent
(identity from individual traits)
Interdependent
identity from belonging)
Life task
Discover and express one’s
uniqueness
Maintain connections, fit in
What matters
Me--personal achievement and
fulfillment; rights and liberties
We-group goals and solidarity;
social responsibilities and
relationships
Coping method
Change reality
Accommodate to reality
Morality
Defined by individuals
(self-based)
Defined by social networks
(duty-based)
Relationships
Many, often temporary or casual;
confrontation acceptable
Few, close and enduring;
harmony valued
Attributing
behaviors
Behavior reflects one’s personality
and attitudes
Behavior reflects social
and roles