Psychological nativism facts for kids
In psychology, nativism is a theory that suggests many basic skills and ideas are already present in our brain when we are born. It's like our brains come with some built-in programs! This idea is the opposite of the "blank slate" theory, also known as tabula rasa. The blank slate idea said that humans are born with almost no skills or knowledge, and they learn everything as they grow up.
Some famous psychologists who support nativism (to some extent) include Jerry Fodor, Noam Chomsky, and Steven Pinker. They believe that humans are born with special abilities that help them learn other important skills, like how to speak a language.
Inherited Behaviors in Animals
Some mammals seem to be born with certain emotional reactions. For example, monkeys often have a natural fear of snakes, even if they've never seen one before. This shows that some fears can be passed down through genes.
Most of the behavior of insects, reptiles, and birds is also inherited in great detail. Think about how a spider knows how to spin a web without being taught. However, mammals, including humans, have a much greater ability to learn new things compared to other animals.
Evolution and Human Behavior
Charles Darwin, a famous scientist, wrote a book in 1872 called The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. In this book, he showed that the way people express most emotions, like happiness or sadness, is very similar across different human cultures. Darwin believed these expressions were inherited and developed over a long time through evolution.
Some scientists who study evolutionary psychology believe that human behavior has deep roots in our evolutionary past. This means that many of our actions and ways of thinking might have developed because they helped our ancestors survive and reproduce. This idea is different from Behaviorism, which focuses more on how our environment and experiences shape our behavior.
Related Ideas
See also
In Spanish: Nativismo psicológico para niños
