Examining The Genetic Underpinnings To Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy Summary
The authors of the journal article, J.C. Barnes, Kevin M. Beaver and Brian B. Boutwell wrote a journal article called, “Examining the Genetic Underpinnings to Moffitt’s Developmental Taxonomy: A Behavior Genetic Analysis”. All of their specialized fields is criminology and they have conducted research on whether criminal behavior is actually influenced by one’s genes. Their theme is to identify the connection between the genetic factors and criminal behavior. Their thesis statement is to examine “whether genes are likely to cause a person to become a life-course persistent offender, which is characterized by antisocial behavior during childhood that can later progress to violent or serious criminal acts later in life.”
The authors have included …show more content…
Psychologists often explain this factor by using “Social Learning Theory”. People, especially children or adolescents tend to copy someone’s behavior who is similar to themselves (e.g. gender, age, or interests) or someone they admire. One of the most famous social learning theory called Bobo Doll study was done by Bandura. The study was conducted to investigate whether aggressive behavior can be learned by observation and the effect of the same gender model on children. A total of 72 boys and girls were divided into three groups which are experimental, non-aggressive, and control group. Children in the experimental group were showed a video of the same or opposite gender model acting aggressively against the bobo doll, whereas non-aggressive model were showed to the other group. The control group did not see any of their role model play with the bobo doll. The result shows that the experimental group expressed aggressive behavior than others, and boys were more likely to behave in the aggressive way when their models were male. To determine if aggressive behavior is inherited, researchers often use twin methodology and adoptive study. Hutchings and Mednick conducted a study on 1400 adoptions in Denmark. The result shows a significant number of boys with conviction had the biological father with conviction as well. They argue that there are no genes that cause aggressive behavior. A protein called MAOA is controlled by a gene and it regulates serotonin. It is suggested the low level of serotonin would cause impulsive and aggressive
The authors have included …show more content…
Psychologists often explain this factor by using “Social Learning Theory”. People, especially children or adolescents tend to copy someone’s behavior who is similar to themselves (e.g. gender, age, or interests) or someone they admire. One of the most famous social learning theory called Bobo Doll study was done by Bandura. The study was conducted to investigate whether aggressive behavior can be learned by observation and the effect of the same gender model on children. A total of 72 boys and girls were divided into three groups which are experimental, non-aggressive, and control group. Children in the experimental group were showed a video of the same or opposite gender model acting aggressively against the bobo doll, whereas non-aggressive model were showed to the other group. The control group did not see any of their role model play with the bobo doll. The result shows that the experimental group expressed aggressive behavior than others, and boys were more likely to behave in the aggressive way when their models were male. To determine if aggressive behavior is inherited, researchers often use twin methodology and adoptive study. Hutchings and Mednick conducted a study on 1400 adoptions in Denmark. The result shows a significant number of boys with conviction had the biological father with conviction as well. They argue that there are no genes that cause aggressive behavior. A protein called MAOA is controlled by a gene and it regulates serotonin. It is suggested the low level of serotonin would cause impulsive and aggressive