Violence is a huge issue in our world and it has driven psychologists and sociologists to look into the science behind it. It has been proved that nature and nurture are both essential in the extent of one’s violence.
Neuroscience and imaging technology has advanced greatly and has allowed scientists to prove that alterations in a “normal” brain’s activity is due to altered gene expression. Mutations in the expression of genes in the brain like MAOA, DAT1, and DRS2 are seen in many violent individuals. The MAOA gene, or “warrior gene”, is an enzyme that normally functions in the neuronal mitochondria by breaking down serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, all crucial in controlling aggression, emotion, and cognition. Mutations in this gene, like low levels, can create violent delinquency as well as antisocial behavior. It is said that up to 50% of aggressive behavior is due to genetic makeup of one’s brain.
Although your genetic makeup can have a great effect on an individual’s behavior, the environment they are surrounded by is also a significant factor. Sleep quality, stress, diet, substance abuse, and social interactions can have a great effect on the brain. A real life example of this is James Fallon. He is a neuroscientist at UC Irvine School of Medicine who studies the brains of murderers, and while studying his own brain, found out his is almost identical to the brain of a psychopath. However, he didn’t turn out to become a murderer or criminal. Fallon believes this is due to the environment he grew up in. Because he had a good childhood with a normal world, his brain was trained to be normal.
This information is crucial for our violent world. Even when people are born as psychopaths with mutations in their genetic code, Fallon is proof that it will not necessarily make you a murderer. This gives hope for the future of our world. With this information being known, parents or others in the community of a young psychopath have the potential to raise a troubled kid in a way that will stop their violent behavior from being activated.
https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2015/december/the-genetics-of-violent-behavior
https://www.businessinsider.com/psychopath-gene-2015-7
I think this is a really interesting discovery. It almost proves that "nurture" can overcome "nature". Although it completely perfect, it shows a lot that someone can be born with a genetic alteration and still be able to repress the tendencies that the gene typically promotes. The significance of the environment in which someone is brought up in is clearly a huge factor.
ReplyDeleteThis perspective is central to the idea of epigenetics which states that our environments “turn on” our genes. This explains why in identical twins, one may develop a disease the other does not. Despite having identical DNA, both experience different environments. These different environments “turn on” different genes and thus, one may develop a disease the other doesn’t. Like you said, a great example of this perspective is Fallon. While he has no activity in his orbital cortex or temporal lobe, and he has the high-risk gene, he is obviously not a killer as he had a happy childhood. If he had been abused, as many psychopathic killers are, these experiences would have “turned on” these genes, and he would have likely lived a life of crime.
ReplyDeleteEnvironment seems to be a key factor in our development, even more so than genetics. It is also interesting to consider how people who are not genetically predisposed to violence can become violent if it is normalized within a certain environment, as we saw with the Stanford Prison Experiment. We often rely on our surroundings and social queues to develop both moral and ethical values. Since this is beyond the reach of genes, genes don't necessarily stop people from becoming decent or from having a beneficial role in society.
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