Nature, Nurture and Human Diversity

Myers, D. (2010) Psychology Worth: New York

CHAPTER PREVIEW

Members of the human family share common behavioral tendencies but are also strikingly
diverse. To what extent are we shaped by our heredity and to what degree by our life history?
The conclusions— that nature is crucially important and that nurture is crucially important—are
central to today’s psychology.

Genes provide the blueprints that design both our universal human attributes and our individual
traits. Behavior geneticists explore individual differences. By using twin, adoption, and
temperament studies, they assess the heritability of various traits and disorders. Their research
indicates that both nature and nurture influence our life courses. We are products of interactions
between our genetic predispositions and our surrounding environments. Molecular geneticists
search for genes that put people at risk for genetically influenced disorders, which has potential
benefits as well as risks.

Evolutionary psychologists focus on what makes us alike as humans. They study how natural
selection favored behavioral tendencies that contributed to the survival and spread of our
genes. For example, in explaining gender differences in sexual behavior, they argue that
women most often send their genes into the future by pairing wisely, men by pairing widely.
Critics maintain that evolutionary psychologists make too many hindsight explanations and
underestimate the role of culture.

We’ll be studying these aspects of human diversity and more as we look at what makes humans
human and contemplate the nature vs. nurture debate.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After students have completed their study of this chapter, they should be able to:

1. Give examples of differences and of similarities within the human family, noting how they
are shaped by our genes and our environment.
2. Identify the types of questions that interest behavior geneticists, and describe the
elements of heredity: chromosome, DNA, gene, and genome.
3. Describe how twin and adoption studies help us differentiate hereditary and
environmental influences on human behavior.
4. Discuss how the relative stability of our temperament illustrates the influence of heredity
on development.
5. Explain what is meant by heritability, and give examples of the interaction of genes and
environment on specific traits.
6. Identify the potential uses of molecular genetics research.
 7. Describe the area of psychology that interests evolutionary psychologists, and point out
some possible effects of natural selection in the development of human characteristics.
8. Identify some gender differences in sexuality and mating preferences, and describe
evolutionary explanations for those differences.
9. Summarize the criticisms of evolutionary explanations of human behaviors, and describe
the evolutionary psychologists’ responses to these criticisms.
10. Describe how experience can modify the brain.
11. Explain why we should be careful in attributing children’s successes and failures to their
parents’ influence, and evaluate the importance of peer influence on development.
12. Describe how behavior is influenced by cultural norms.
13. Identify some ways a primarily individualist culture differs from a primarily collectivist
culture, and compare their effects on personal identity and child-rearing.
14. Discuss gender similarities and differences in psychological traits such as aggression,
social power, and social connectedness.
15. Explain how biological sex is determined, and describe the role of sex hormones in
biological development and gender differences.
16. Discuss the importance of gender roles in development, and describe current views
regarding gender typing.
17. Describe the biopsychosocial approach to development.

Chapter Study Guide – Save and/or print this study guide. Use the guide to add
your own notes as you view the lecture presentation and read the chapter in your
text.

I. Introducing Nature, Nurture, and Human Diversity

A. Fact or falsehood

B. Universal People

II. Behavior Genetics: Predicting Individual Differences

A. Genes: Our Codes for Life

1. The origin of blue eyes

C. Twin and Adoption Studies

1. The Minnesota Twin Study

2. “Mom Always Liked You Best”

D. Temperament and Heredity

E. Heritability

1. Genetic Influences on Psychological Traits

2. Nature and Nurture

3. Understanding Williams Syndrome

F. Genes and Personality

H. The New frontier: Molecular Genetics

III. Evolutionary Psychology: Understanding Human Nature

A. Natural Selection and Adaptation

B. Evolutionary Success Helps Explain Similarities

C. An Evolutionary Explanation of Human Sexuality

1. Gender Differences in Sexuality

2. Evolutionary Theory and Gender Differences in Motivation

IV. Parents and Peers

A. Parents and Early Experiences

C. Cultural Influences

D. Variation across Cultures

1. Differences in Cultural Norms

E. Variation over Time

F. Culture and the Self

G. Culture and Child-Rearing

H. Developmental Similarities Across Groups

V. Gender Development

A. Gender Similarities and Differences

1. Gender Differences on a Motor-Skills Task

2. Gender Differences in Smiling

3. Gender Differences in Personality?

B. The Nature of Gender

1. Innate Sex Differences

2. The Art of Listening: Males versus Females

C. The Nurture of Gender

1. Who Does the Housework?

2. Learning Gender Roles

VI. Reflections on Nature and Nurture

A. Self-Efficacy