Ch. 3 – Nature &
Nurture
Today’s coming attractions:

How much of your behavior is biology, how
you were raised, or the culture you grew
up in?
What is the human genome?
What does it effect?
 What does it not effect?

Nature VS Nurture
E.g. Potted plants
 Early breast development producing shy
child.
 Fish pond
 Gang member, VS college graduate

Increasing brain synapse.
We want to help a child (or a rat) grow a
larger number of brain synapses, &
presumably learn more.
 How would we do that?

What is a gene mutation?
100th. Copy
 How does it effect us?

Child rearing and personality
What study could we design to determine
the environmental influences (e.g. child
raising) on a person’s personality?
 Identical twins raised apart.

Evolutionary theory of behavior

Give an example of the evolutionary
theory of behavior as applied to human
behavior.
Social learning theory of behavior
Give an example of the social learning
theory of behavior.
 We learn by example

 E.g.
Matt’s ATM experience
Gender schema theory of behavior
Based on gender roles
 Give an example of the gender schema
theory of behavior.
 Big boys don’t cry.
 I don’t like “OJT”.

Social norms also control our
behavior
Give an example
 Talking with food in your mouth
 Opening doors
 Personal space

 Varies
by culture
Your culture effects your ideas.
How?
 Collectivism VS individualism cultures

 Examples?

How can this effect the idea of romance in
marriage?
Assertiveness and empathy

How does assertiveness and empathy
change in the sexes an people move from
youth to old age?
 Women
become more assertive
 Men become more empathetic
How culture effects your feelings of
personal space.

Japan VS U.S. VS Saudi Arabia countries.
Tend & Befriend – Biology or
culture?

Women are more likely than men to tend
and befriend