PSYCHOLOGY

Section 1: Nature/Nurture
AS and A Level Psychology
Teacher Guide
1.3 All a matter of perception: which side of the debate do you favour?
Task introduction:
Students are given an introduction to the research into perception and directed to revise the study by Blakemore
and Cooper (1970). Students should also complete wider reading to stretch and challenge.
After completing this activity, students should be able to:
• Outline the key features of the nature/nurture debate
• Identify evidence to support each side of the debate when explaining visual perception
• Critique the methods used by each position within the debate.
Suggested delivery:
1. The skills required in the exam are explained to students and the outcomes above are linked to this.
2. Students complete the accompanying student worksheet to record evidence that perception is caused by
nature and by nurture. Students then respond to the reflection question that will elicit responses required in the
exam.
3. Students can peer assess their responses using a student friendly mark scheme for component 2 Section B.
1.4 Arrange the areas and perspectives
Students are given information about different areas and perspectives and their views on how behaviour is caused
using key terms from the nature/nurture debate. They then need to create a debate line and arrange the areas on
the debate line with a justification for their overall judgement.
Preparation before the lesson:
Print off a debate line such as the one below on A3 and either cut up the cards for each group of students or
provide students with scissors to do this.
Behaviour is
caused entirely
by nature.
Behaviour is
caused entirely
by nurture.
Differentiation:
Students who are struggling can be encouraged to use previous notes to annotate the debate line with key terms
for the two opposing positions in the debate.
Stretch and challenge:
Students can be challenged to distinguish positions within the nature/nurture debate for specific researchers in
each area to show that each area has variance.
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