What is the Tabula Rasa theory?

• A. John Locke's theory that children begin as a blank slate acquiring their characteristics through experience.
• B. Children are born with innate ideas.
• C. The self-concept is fixed at birth.
• D. Self-concept is determined by genetics.

Answer: (A)

Tabula Rasa is the idea that the mind is a blank slate at birth and that all knowledge, traits, and abilities come from experience and environment. This view, associated with John Locke, emphasizes nurture over nature, meaning learning, perception, and character are shaped by what a person encounters and how they interact with the world.

That’s why the statement describing John Locke’s view of a blank slate is the best fit. It directly captures the essence that children start without built-in ideas and develop through experience.

The other statements describe opposite ideas: innate ideas suggest knowledge is present at birth, fixed self-concept implies a pre-set sense of self, and genetics implies traits are determined by hereditary factors. None of these align with Tabula Rasa’s emphasis on experiential formation.