Religion as nature or nurture
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the nature-nurture debate in social sciences and provide reasons why religion can be seen as a result of both human nature and human nurture.
Key learning points
- The nature-nurture debate is a key theme in social sciences.
- Humans may be born predetermined to accept religious ideas.
- Socialisation, such as religious upbringing, may influence religious belief.
- Ann Taves, a scholar, argues humans naturally ask questions which religious and non-religious worldviews can answer.
Keywords
Nature - the biological and genetic aspects of a person that they are born with
Nurture - the influence of learning such as upbringing and environment on a person's development
Predetermined - something which is decided in advance and not down to chance
Religious upbringing - the way that parents and carers may raise children to be part of a religion
Socialisation - the process beginning in childhood where a person learns how to fit in with their society’s rules and behaviours
Common misconception
That there is a gene or section of the brain responsible for religious belief.
Genetics and the function of the brain may play a significant part in religious belief, but there is no single gene or area of the brain responsible for this.
Teacher tip
To explore the nature-nurture debate further, examples of "feral children" (children that have not been raised by humans) could be found elsewhere online. Students could consider the influence that the absence of human 'nurture' has had on language and socialisation for these children.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is a holy text in Christianity?
Q2.Which statement best describes the human brain?
Q3.What determines the adult colour of someone's eyes?
Q4.Which of these statements best describes what a 'debate' is?
Q5.What term means when biological parents pass on their traits to their offspring?
Q6.What term means a group of people with shared laws, traditions and values?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How many religions are there in the world according to 'World Religion Day'?
Q2.Which term means the biological and genetic aspects of a person they are born with?
Q3.In the nature-nurture debate, the things which people learn from others as they grow up are referred to as ...
Q4.Professor Ann Taves says that humans are naturally inclined to ask what kind of questions?
Q5.Which statement is a reason why religion could be seen as as result of human nature?
Q6.Which statement is a reason why religion could be seen as a result of human nurture?
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: Religion as nature or nurture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: Religion as nature or nurture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Psychology: is our brain designed to believe? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.