Alison Conteh

Nature vs. Nurture: The Dynamic Duel Influencing Who We Are

Started Feb. 12, 2024

Abstract or project description

This research paper explores the long-standing debate between nature and nurture in the context of criminal behavior.“Nature vs. Nature” was cultivated to find the root of why individuals turn to criminality and others don’t. "Nature" argues that individuals are born to be criminals based on genetic predispositions. This argument adapts the use of neuroscience to determine the functioning of brains and why some persons are likely to lean toward violence. Nurture investigates the context of one’s upbringing and how that contributes to future criminal likeliness. These conditions include socioeconomic factors, environmental influences, substance abuse, and family dynamics. This study uses a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating findings from articles advocating for each perspective and assessing genetics, psychology, sociology, and neuroscience to analyze the heritability of criminal tendencies. Based on my conducted literature review, I argue that nature and nurture play an interconnected role in one's propensity to commit crime. The interplay between factors favoring each argument is equally critical and suggests that criminal behavior develops from a complex interaction of inherent proclivity and external conditions.