Genetic and Environmental Influences on Violence and Aggression

Since the early 20th century, the expansion of the field of criminology has contributed substantially to understandings of aggression, violence, and criminality. However, those contributions now appear incomplete with recent methodological advancements occurring within other disciplines. This assessment stems from the reliance on standard social science methodologies (SSSMs) in criminology. From topic and sample selection to statistical analyses and interpretation, SSSMs rest on the assumption that social processes alone are responsible for variance in personality and behaviors. While in the past, this assumption went unchallenged in criminology, recent empirical examinations have confronted the fundamental properties of the SSSM approach. Specifically, since the early 2000s, researchers within biosocial criminology have begun to argue for the [Page 574]elimination of the blank slate assumption from criminological assessments and ...