#behavioral genetics

'My Genes Made Me Do It': Behavioral Genetic Evidence in Criminal Court

The use of genetic data to establish a physiological basis for violent or impulsive criminal behaviors is occurring more frequently in criminal trials. However, a new review finds that genetic evidence used in the courtroom is not likely to be effective in convincing judges and juries that the defendants are less culpable for their actions.

There are three types of biological causal explanations in Psychology:

1. Neural Explanations All mental experiences and behavioral acts are products of the nervous system. The research specialty that centers on this level of explanation is referred to as behavioral neuroscience

2. Genetic Explanations Genes are the units of heredity that provide the codes for building the entire body, including the brain. Differences among individuals in the genes they inherit can cause differences in the brain, and therefore, differences in mental experiences and behavior. The research specialty that attempts to explain psychological differences among individuals in terms of differences in their genes is called behavioral genetics. 

3. Evolutionary Explanations All the basic biological machinery underlying behavior and mental experience, coded by genes, is a product of evolution by natural selection. One way to explain universal human characteristics, therefore, is to explain how or why they came about in the course of evolution. The research specialty concerned with this level of analysis is called evolutionary psychology.

This article reports results from the first twin study of adults in the United States that focuses exclusively and comprehensively on political traits. These data allow us to test whether a common set of genetic and environmental influences act upon a broad variety of values, personality traits, and political attitudes. 

In short, it allows us to empirically investigate whether there are a core set of predispositions that form the basis of our political orientations and, if so, whether these predispositions are shaped by the same environmental and innate forces.