NCJ Number
80923
Date Published
1981
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Findings are presented from genetic research and physiological studies to examine the relationship between biological factors and criminal behavior, and the interaction of a specific biological factor with social variables is explored to show how the likelihood of moral behavior may be increased.
Abstract
Evidence from twin and adoptee studies gives some credence to the hypothesis that genetically influenced factors are partially involved in the etiology of antisocial behavior; however, there is no suggestion in the findings that biological factors cause criminality in some inevitable, fateful manner. The findings do tend to indicate that societal manipulation will not be completely effective as a primary prevention method. An examination of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in children and among prisoners has tended to show very low ANS responsiveness and slow ANS recovery among those demonstrating antisocial behavior. Electroencephalogram studies have also provided data that can predict rather well the later delinquency of boys. It is theorized that a child needs the following to learn to be moral: (1) a censuring agent (typically family), (2) an adequate fear of response, (3) the ability to learn the fear response in anticipation of an asocial act, and (4) fast dissipation of fear to reinforce the inhibitory response quickly. The fear response is, to a large extent, controlled by the autonomic nervous system. If a child has an ANS that characteristically recovers very quickly from fear, then that child will receive a quick and large reinforcement and learn inhibition quickly. If the child has an ANS that recovers very slowly, he/she will receive a slow and small reinforcement and will learn to inhibit the aggression very slowly, if at all. This would suggest that those who commit antisocial acts will be characterized by diminished autonomic responsiveness and slow autonomic recovery. Tabular data and 32 references are provided.