PSYCH 101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Heredity, Trait Theory, Psych
Document Summary
Criminality is a product of genes and environment. Although the idea of environmental influences seems rather intuitive, regardless of knowledge regarding heredity and biological factors, it is surprising that some may have considered criminal behaviour to be solely a result of genetics. I propose that the debate of nature versus nurture now is not whether genetics or environment influence behaviour, but how complex the interaction between these factors is. Despite the relative lack of reliability and validity in twin, adoption, and family studies, they still provide valuable insight into the roles of heredity and environment in criminal behavior. However, it seems that most studies of this kind focus on the role of heredity in influencing behavior. It would be interesting to see whether any studies with adopted children have examined the role of environment in criminal behavior. I agree with jones that the influence of neurochemicals on criminal and antisocial behavior are indicative of a genetic component to such behaviors.
