Nature vs. Nurture

Grade Level: 12th Grade

Subject: Science (Psychology)

Duration: 70 minutes

Curriculum: Aligned with AP Psychology (US Standards)

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Essential Question

How do nature and nurture interact to shape human behavior and mental processes, and what are the ethical implications of studying genetic influences on behavior?

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Learning Objective

Students will explain the relationship between heredity (nature) and the environment (nurture) in shaping behavior and mental processes.

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Essential Knowledge

• 1.1.A.1: Heredity and environmental factors interact to shape behavior and mental processes.

  • Heredity refers to genetic or predisposed characteristics.
  • Environmental factors include external influences such as education, family, and culture.

• 1.1.A.2: The evolutionary perspective examines how natural selection influences behaviors and mental processes to improve survival and reproductive success.

• 1.1.A.3: Research on the effects of genes and environment on behavior often includes twin studies, family studies, and adoption studies.

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Materials Needed

• Whiteboard/Markers or Smartboard
• Printed copies of the article “Are You a Natural?” from 40 Studies that Changed Psychology
• Graphic organizer handouts (e.g., Venn Diagram for Nature vs. Nurture)
• Student Notebooks

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Lesson Outline

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Engage Students:

   • Display the following statement on the board:
     “Who you are is completely determined by your environment.”
   • Ask students to silently reflect for one minute and decide if they agree or disagree.
   • Prompt a brief class discussion by asking for two opposing viewpoints to justify their positions.

   Purpose: This activity builds curiosity and primes students to explore nature versus nurture.

2. Clarify Learning Objective:

   • Write the objective on the board:
     “Today, we will explore how heredity and environment interact to shape human behavior and mental processes.”
   • Briefly explain that this question is one of psychology’s most debated topics.

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Direct Instruction (15 minutes)

1. Define Key Concepts:

   • Nature: Explain that heredity encompasses genetic predispositions. Give examples of traits influenced by heredity (e.g., height, predisposition to mental illness).
   • Nurture: Highlight how environmental factors like parenting styles, peer influence, and education play a role in shaping behavior and thought processes.

2. Illustration with Examples:

   • Use twin studies as an example of how psychologists study nature and nurture. Briefly outline studies showing how identical twins raised apart can exhibit both striking similarities (nature) and notable differences (nurture).

3. Introduce Ethical Implications:

   • Explain controversies surrounding the study of genetics on behavior, touching on eugenics and its historical misuse (e.g., Nazi ideologies). Ask students to consider whether studying genetic influences could promote bias or stigma toward individuals.

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Activity (30 minutes)

Construct an Argument: Article-Based Learning

1. Distribute and Read:

   • Hand out the article “Are You a Natural?” from 40 Studies that Changed Psychology.
   • Give students 10 minutes to skim and annotate the article, focusing on:
     • The research question
     • Methodology
     • Key findings and conclusions

2. Abstract Writing:

   • Instruct students to write a 5-7 sentence abstract summarising the article. Prompts include:
     • What was the purpose of the study?
     • How was the research conducted?
     • What conclusions were drawn?

3. Small Group Discussion (10 minutes):

   • Organise students into groups of 4. Have them share their abstracts and discuss:
     • How does this study illustrate the interaction between heredity and the environment?
     • Do they believe the article leaned more toward nature or nurture? Why?
   • Provide graphic organisers (e.g., Venn Diagrams) for students to visually map similarities and differences between nature and nurture.

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Class Discussion (10 minutes)

• Guide the discussion by posing probing questions:
  1. What insights did your group gain from the article?
  2. Can we identify behaviors where both nature and nurture seem equally influential?
  3. What are the ethical implications of studying genetic influences, especially for policies or stereotypes?

Key Takeaway: Emphasise that behavior is almost always a result of an interaction of heredity and environment, and the goal is not to oversimplify this complex topic.

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Closure (5 minutes)

1. Exit Ticket:

   • Ask students to write a one-sentence response to the question:
     “Which do you think plays a bigger role, nature or nurture, and why?”
   • Collect these responses for a quick check of understanding.

2. Preview for Next Class:

   • Announce that in the next lesson, students will further explore research methods (e.g., adoption studies, longitudinal studies) used to examine nature/nurture issues in psychology.

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Differentiation and Extensions

• For Advanced Students: Provide optional additional reading on contemporary research in behavioral genetics.
• For Students Needing Support: Pair them with a peer for the writing activity, or offer sentence starters for their abstract writing.
• Extension Activity: Assign a debate for homework—students will be placed in a "Nature" or "Nurture" camp and prepare arguments for the next class.

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Assessment

• Formative: Monitor small group discussions and Venn Diagrams for evidence of understanding.
• Summative: Evaluate the quality of abstracts for clarity in capturing the research question, methods, and conclusions.
• Exit Ticket: Collect student responses to gauge their critical thinking and synthesis of today’s topic.

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Teacher Reflection

Post-lesson, review student abstracts and exit tickets to assess comprehension. Consider introducing mock case studies in the next class to deepen application of these concepts.