Outline and evaluate the role of genetic factors in
aggressive behaviour (24 marks)
The claim that aggression can be inherited through genes has
been studied by a large number of psychologists. Twin studies have been
particularly useful for exploring this biological explanation, and has allowed
psychologists to look chiefly at genes; especially in monozygotic twins. Rutter found a higher concordance in
aggression for MZ twins than DZ twins, suggesting that the more similar the
genes are, the more likely they share genetic behaviour such as aggression. Coccaro found that nearly 50 % of the variance
in direct aggressive behaviour in adults was attributed to genes and 70% of
verbal aggression. However, this research also contradicts the role of
genetics in aggression, as it gives equal weighting to environmental factors, which the other 50% of the variance is
attributed to. This briefly outlines the gene-environment interaction
approach, with a genetic predisposition reacting with the environment to
influence aggressive behaviour. Adoption studies have also helped to
differentiate between the complicated contributions of environment and heredity
in aggression. If the adopted child and their biological parents display
aggressive behaviour, it is likely that genetics play a stronger role than upbringing
in a different environment Hutchings and
Mednick studies 1400 adoptions in Denmark and found that a significant number
of adopted boys with criminal convictions had biological parents (usually
fathers) with criminal convictions. This supports that genetics influence
aggression, as there is evidently a correlation even when separated from
biological parents and the same environment. There is a problem that the only
aggression measured was criminal convictions however, as it may not have picked
up on antisocial behaviour not caught. In fact, with only studying criminal
convictions, the psychologists could have ignored those who are arguably more
intelligent and aggression- not having been caught and getting away with the
crime.
There are some problems with twin studies. The first being
that although MZ twins have a higher concordance rate for aggression in
comparison with DZ twins, the
concordance rate is never 100%. This suggests that genetic factors are not
the only factors for aggression and environment does play a part. A
predisposition for violence, but a disciplined and supportive home environment
may stop this behaviour being a problem. Another problem is that MZ twins look
exactly the same, and share the same biological makeup. This would affect how
society treats the twins, perhaps the same way. In this instance, DZ twins would be treated more like
individuals, and would therefore show more variance in their behaviour.
With both methodologies, criminality may be studies more than aggression, which affects
internal validity. This means that the study fails to differentiate between
violent and non-violent crime; an individual may have a conviction for fraud and placed in the same category as an individual
in prison for manslaughter. Another issue is that habitual violence may be a better indicator for aggression,
but again is placed in the same category as a one-off crime (a person who
became aggressive once after consuming alcohol and bumping into someone they
both had a mutual hatred for each other). Mednick et al found the biggest
effect in their study was for non-violent crime. Brennan, however, compared the criminal history of adopted males and
their biological and adoptive parents. They found that genetic influences were
significant in cases of property but not violent crime. This piece of research
shows that a crime personality may be inherited rather than aggressive
behaviour. Being in a demonstratively moral and supportive environment teaches
children not to be aggressive instead of becoming desensitised to it in a
genetically likely household with many convictions.
Gender bias has also been criticised in the study of the
role of genetics in aggression. Button
et al found that the genetic heritability of aggressive anti-social behaviour
was much higher for girls than boys (this was not the case for
non-aggressive anti-social behaviour such as truancy). Button’s research
indicates that heritability is stronger in women than men when it comes to
aggression, and that more research would need to be taken for females. This may
also explain the lower concordance in same sex DZ twins.
Other psychologists have explained the genetic link to
aggression with a single gene- the MAOA. This warrior gene is linked with aggression,
with lower levels increasing aggression. This may be dues to the role it has on
regulating the metabolism of serotonin
on the brain, with lower levels increasing aggression. Brunner
studied a Dutch family with the males showing high levels of violence
(convictions and high antisocial behaviour levels). The study found abnormally
low levels of MAOA, showing that deficiencies cause aggression. This study is
culturally bound, and may not be demonstrative of the link between aggression
and genes around the rest of the world. However, a gene-environment explanation
may carry more weight. Caspi conducted a
meta-analysis with 500 male children. He found that low levels of MAOA in the
children did concord with antisocial behaviour, supportive of this explanation,
however only if maltreated as a child. This shows that social environment
plus genes influences behaviour, rather than just one or the other. Moffat found a similar conclusion. By
examining abuse, convictions, violence and antisocial behaviour in 422 males
from New Zealand, low levels of MAOA correlated with the risk of being convicted
but again, only if they had suffered abuse. All of these studies are based
on male aggression, with no incidences of female aggression. This is a
weakness, which means that genes can only be shown to influence aggression on
men.
Research into MAOA on aggression, like twin and adoption
studies, focuses on individuals who have been convicted of violent crimes. This
means that the studies only involve aggressive individuals who have been
caught- who may tend to be low-intelligence
individuals. This may explain why many studies fail to find evidence of
genetic influences on aggression. They also fail to explain cultural
differences which suggests that genetics are not the only factors in
aggression, otherwise it would be universally correlated. In this way, the MAOA
gene’s studies are ethnocentric,
unable to be generalised to other countries.
However, research into this gene may be useful for society
and the individual. Morley and Hall
suggest that information from genetic screenings could be used to devise new
treatments for personality disorders that have been identified as risk
factors for criminal behaviours. The treatment would be able to lower the risk
of the person being put in prison, and create a safer society. However, there
are ethical weaknesses with this. This is rather deterministic, stating that the person will be aggressive after
being labelled with MAMO deficiencies and is not pleasant for the person.
Because it is their genetic makeup, this may seem like their personality is
being altered when there is really only 50% variance linked to aggression. It could be useful when environmental
factors pose a risk for those also with low levels of MAOA.
Many studies of genetic influences on aggressive behaviour
rely on self-reports and these studies tend to show that there is a genetic
link for aggression. However, observational studies have not been consistent. Miles and Carey found less genetic
influence on aggression through observation than with self-reports in a
meta-analysis. A replication of Bandura’s Bobo study using twins found no difference in MZ and DZ twins,
suggesting that individual differences in aggression were more of a product of
environmental influences than genetics (Plomin).
This research suggests that many studies into MAOA are inconsistent, and the
link found is unpredictable. Morley and
Hall argue that genes associated with aggression only poorly predict the
likelihood that an individual will display aggressive behaviour. The presence
or absence of environmental factors can’t be identified in a genetic text,
making the prediction of aggression even less likely. Perhaps a
gene-environment interaction is a better explanation, with those who are
predisposed genetically and brought up in a low socio-economic background more
prone than those predisposed and brought up in a higher socio-economic
environment in an area with low crime rates. If both genes and environment are
not good predictor, then used in synchronisation will increase the accuracy.
The role of genetics
is reductionist, as is states that aggression is caused by a single gene to
make it easy to test. It ignores complex biological factors as well as
psychological and environmental factors. For example, MAOA decreases low
serotonin levels. Low serotonin levels
are correlated with increased risk for depression. It could be that they
are testing depression in males, as aggression and violence are symptoms of
male depression (especially if they had suffered mistreatment as a child). It is also determinist, showing that aggression
is determined by our genes and that we can treat people with “faulty” genes.
The biological approach ignores free
will and this reduces individual responsibility for aggression, a significant
problem when addressing an issue which is frequently dealt with in court and is
harmful to society.