What Are The Arguments Against Innate Behaviour
Q: In your own words, details the ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments with regard to innate and learned behaviour.
A: There are two types of behaviour, innate and learned. Innate behaviour (also known as nature) is defined as natural and instinctive. It is the behaviour present at birth, the fixed, unchanging behaviours.Nativists believe that various aspects of behaviour are innate. They argue that behaviour is due to genetics as we inherit the qualities that decide the kind of person we will be. For example, reflexes. Some examples of these are:
Swallowing - when food enters the mouth the body automatically produces saliva
Coughing - when food enters the windpipe the natural reaction is to cough to prevent choking
Blinking - when air enters …show more content…
the eyes the body blinks to protect the lens
These basic physiological reflexes will continue to be present throughout our lives.
Instincts are more complex, inborn behaviour patterns that can be slightly modified, for example, a spider building a web or a newborn sea turtle that has hatched on a beach will automatically head towards the ocean, when a bird hatches from its egg it does so instinctively or when a puppy drinks milk from its mother they are not taught to do this.
Biologically, humans are part of the mammal family of creatures. Konrad Lorenz, a zoologist from the 1930s observed animal behaviour between an infant and its mother and saw that there were crucial periods when attachments had taken place. The animals were born with these tendencies, they did not learn the behaviour through experience. (1)
Cohen (1967) found that babies who were restless and crying for a feed became quicker with practice at recognising the nipple, stopping crying and commencing sucking.
Learned behaviour (also known as nurture) is not inherited but is flexible and can be changed by environment. Empiricists argue that all behaviour is learned, and is influenced by the care and attention received during childhood. For example the family environment, a child living in an unhappy home may be adopted into a happy home, social class, individual experiences such as punishments or rewards they received during childhood.
Albert Bandura, a psychologist in the 1960s noticed that children’s behaviour was what they had directly observed of other children or adults behaviour.
He added the significance of personal feelings or reinforcement and the link between thinking and observational learning. Bandura believes that children learn new behaviours through the process of modelling, adults show through their own behaviours how they would like their children to behave. (2) For example, manners, children are not born with manners they are taught by example and giving gentle reminders such as remembering please and thank you. Positive reinforcement will go a long way with children. On the other hand there is negative reinforcement for instance a child does not want to go to bed, they whine and make excuses to stretch out the time and after the parent persisting for a while to get them into bed, decides to allow them to settle on the sofa. From this the child’s strategy will be strengthened because it has been postponed as they wanted.
A recent study by Kraus PhD showed that the genes shared by twins are similar, in identical twins heritability was around 46% but in fraternal twins was lower at 23%.In his study he found that there were some genetic influences in personality.
(3)
To summarise this debate i believe that both behaviours are equally important and work together, hand in hand. Innate behaviours are the survival skills we are born with that help children grow and develop, learned behaviours are the life skills we need to progress in life. We were born with the reflex to suck a nipple and this is later developed by learning to chew food and drink.
References
(1) Explaining child development: considering nature vs nurture
Understanding child development by Jennie Lindon
(2) The development of attachment
Understanding child development by Jennie Lindon
(3) www.psychologytoday.com
A: There are two types of behaviour, innate and learned. Innate behaviour (also known as nature) is defined as natural and instinctive. It is the behaviour present at birth, the fixed, unchanging behaviours.Nativists believe that various aspects of behaviour are innate. They argue that behaviour is due to genetics as we inherit the qualities that decide the kind of person we will be. For example, reflexes. Some examples of these are:
Swallowing - when food enters the mouth the body automatically produces saliva
Coughing - when food enters the windpipe the natural reaction is to cough to prevent choking
Blinking - when air enters …show more content…
the eyes the body blinks to protect the lens
These basic physiological reflexes will continue to be present throughout our lives.
Instincts are more complex, inborn behaviour patterns that can be slightly modified, for example, a spider building a web or a newborn sea turtle that has hatched on a beach will automatically head towards the ocean, when a bird hatches from its egg it does so instinctively or when a puppy drinks milk from its mother they are not taught to do this.
Biologically, humans are part of the mammal family of creatures. Konrad Lorenz, a zoologist from the 1930s observed animal behaviour between an infant and its mother and saw that there were crucial periods when attachments had taken place. The animals were born with these tendencies, they did not learn the behaviour through experience. (1)
Cohen (1967) found that babies who were restless and crying for a feed became quicker with practice at recognising the nipple, stopping crying and commencing sucking.
Learned behaviour (also known as nurture) is not inherited but is flexible and can be changed by environment. Empiricists argue that all behaviour is learned, and is influenced by the care and attention received during childhood. For example the family environment, a child living in an unhappy home may be adopted into a happy home, social class, individual experiences such as punishments or rewards they received during childhood.
Albert Bandura, a psychologist in the 1960s noticed that children’s behaviour was what they had directly observed of other children or adults behaviour.
He added the significance of personal feelings or reinforcement and the link between thinking and observational learning. Bandura believes that children learn new behaviours through the process of modelling, adults show through their own behaviours how they would like their children to behave. (2) For example, manners, children are not born with manners they are taught by example and giving gentle reminders such as remembering please and thank you. Positive reinforcement will go a long way with children. On the other hand there is negative reinforcement for instance a child does not want to go to bed, they whine and make excuses to stretch out the time and after the parent persisting for a while to get them into bed, decides to allow them to settle on the sofa. From this the child’s strategy will be strengthened because it has been postponed as they wanted.
A recent study by Kraus PhD showed that the genes shared by twins are similar, in identical twins heritability was around 46% but in fraternal twins was lower at 23%.In his study he found that there were some genetic influences in personality.
(3)
To summarise this debate i believe that both behaviours are equally important and work together, hand in hand. Innate behaviours are the survival skills we are born with that help children grow and develop, learned behaviours are the life skills we need to progress in life. We were born with the reflex to suck a nipple and this is later developed by learning to chew food and drink.
References
(1) Explaining child development: considering nature vs nurture
Understanding child development by Jennie Lindon
(2) The development of attachment
Understanding child development by Jennie Lindon
(3) www.psychologytoday.com