Throughout Richard’s heinous actions, the importance of nature vs nurture is demonstrated. According to Examination of the Psychology, nurture is “The experiences that mold and change us throughout our lives, such as how our parents raised us, what we were taught at school, and our culture.” This means that nurture is something that is learned, we are not born knowing who we are, we figure that out on our own.
Contrary to this concept, “nature is the genetic code of the person, it is their DNA and biological connections that make a person who they are”(Examination of the Psychology). People on the nature side believe we are born with certain qualities that turn us into who we become, people are born the way they are and are destined to be that way throughout their lives. Due to Richard’s behavior and upbringing, one can clearly connect how his crime is truly the result of nature and nurture. For example, Richard’s quick violent temper came from his father’s side of the family. Scientists have discovered that one of the strongest inherited genetic traits is temperament (Starr). Which makes Richard a perfect candidate for nature. What makes Richard a product of nurture was his childhood, suffering from constant parental beatings can be very traumatizing and it can leave a person with permanent psychological disorders. Living in a home where your brother was beaten to death by your father, and it was accepted and denied to police by your mother, then there is no doubt that Richard’s horrific childhood contributed to the making of a human monster, proving that Richard Kuklinski was a product of both nature and nurture.