Two friends, Zayn and Danna, are discussing the nature versus nurture debate in relation to the study by Bandura et al. (aggression). Zayn thinks the study supports the nature side of the debate but Danna thinks the study supports the nurture side of the debate. Explain one reason why Zayn is correct and one reason why Danna is correct, using evidence from this study. Zayn (nature) Danna (nurture)

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. 8 1 mark per correct point.
2. 8 3 marks for Zayn. 1 mark for defining nature.
3. 8 3 marks for Danna. 1 mark for defining nurture.
4. 8 e.g., Zayn Nature is about behaviours being genetically encoded and with us from birth (1 mark: definition). Boys were more physically aggressive than girls across a range of the conditions irrespective of the sex of the model (1 mark). This could be due to them having higher levels of testosterone which is biological (1 mark).
5. 8 e.g., Danna Nurture is about the learning of behaviours through experiences / after birth (1 mark: definition). Participants in all conditions had already been matching on (pre-existing) aggression levels yet, for instance, male participants we much more likely to imitate a physically aggressive male role model (1 mark). Therefore, this imitated behaviour must have been learned (1 mark).
6. 8 Participants had been matched on levels of aggression (1 mark) and there were differences in levels of imitated behaviour depending if a model was aggressive or not so learned (1 mark).
7. 8 They learned to be aggressive by observing/imitating a model (1 mark).