Nature Nurture

Learning Objectives
Know what is meant by the terms nature
& nurture.
Understand that there is a debate over
nature or nurture
Be able to identify where sociology stands
in the debate.

Starter
Write down the behaviour and characteristics
you think is natural for males & natural for
females

FEMALE VS. MALE

CULTURAL ANTHROPOGLY
What is culture and where does it come
from?
At one time it was believed that inherited
characteristics, or nature directed human
behavior.
People in a specific culture act the way
that they do because they inherited those
behaviors from their parents.

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLGY
Anthropologists began to believe that
culture is based on the way people learn
how to adapt to their environment in order
to survive
In other words, culture is a result of nurture
Anthropologists now define culture as all
the learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes,
values, and ideals of a particular society or
population

Margaret Mead and the

Nature-Nurture Debate
One of the most widely known
Anthropologists of the 20th century
Mead studied the gender roles of men
and women (cultural anthropology) in 3
different cultures in New Guinea

Margaret Mead
Arapesh: [ahr-uh-pesh]
Children were treated warmly and that
both men and women participated
actively in child care
Consequently, both genders grew up to
view the world in a trusting way
Aggression was not acceptable

Margaret Mead
Mundugumor: [muhn-doo-guh-mawr]
Both girls and boys were treated harshly
and left to fend for themselves
They learned to view others as potential
enemies
Both men and women grew up very
aggressive

Margaret Mead

TchambulI: [chahm-boo-lee]
Gender roles were reversed
Women were tough and hearty
Men were passive and looked after the
house

Mead concluded that traits were clearly

learned, not by hereditary means

Nature
There are many ways of
explaining why certain
people do things in certain
ways.
Some biologists think that
people behave as they do
because they are animals
who act according to
animal instincts.
This is known as a Nature
theory of human
behaviour.

Nurture
Most sociologists believe
that people do certain
things and think certain
things because they are
taught to do them.
This is known as a
Nurture theory of human
behaviour.
Sociologists think that
people act as they do
because they learned to
be the people that they
are.

You decide

Do you think you are who you are due to

Nature or Nurture?

Group work
On large paper draw a spider diagram
showing what you gain from nature and
nurture.

NATURE

NURTURE

In your own words..

What does nature
mean?
What does nurture
mean?
Which does
anthropologist believe
is the most important?

Learning Objectives
Know what is meant by the terms nature
& nurture.
Understand that there is a debate over
nature or nurture
Be able to identify where sociology stands
in the debate.