Nature vs Nurture – can you be born bad? The nature vs

Nature vs. Nurture – can you be born bad?

The nature vs. nurture debate has been a term has been used since the Elizabethan period where the initial use of the term was created by psychologist St Francis Galton. I will link this specific debate with psychopaths and killers as the subject interests me as if there’s an aspect that can make a human being turn evil or if they can be born this way?

I believe that nurture is a huge effector on someone’s personal wellbeing but also that nature can override the nurture aspect in some cases.

In many beliefs such as Christianity, you’re born in sin and must redeem yourself but comparison to modern humanist ideas of being born innocent is the reason why many people don’t believe you can be born bad. I don’t have a specific religion but I respect all thoughts and opinions with an open mind. I believe you can be born evil as there is much evidence to suggest so.

There has been research to suggest there is a single gene that links with psychopaths which is known as MAOA (Monoamine Oxidase A) which controls the production of a protein that breakdowns brain signalling chemicals like dopamine, noradrenalin and serotonin which all influence mood. With this gene that affects the chemical breakdown in the system, there is medication to help regulate and have these important chemicals in their system. Also in many researches there has been evidence that psychopaths have reduced connections between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (left and right side of the cerebrum of the brain), which is the part of the brain responsible for one’s empathy and guilt, and the amygdala (neurons located deep in the brain’s temporal lobe) which manages fear and anxiety.

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Psychopaths have a stronger fear threshold and their startle reaction is below average. They also have to have a higher amount of thrill to achieve a similar reaction which can cause many to do crimes such as murder to fill their empty void of lack of emotions they may feel. Many people believe psychopaths don’t have emotions but they do. Their emotions are not like normal people; their emotions are very short-lived and are also very extremely intense. Their emotions are known as proto-emotions, the proto-emotions that psychopaths have are actually linked to their desires. These desires include peevish resentment, spite, childish pride, shallow self-pity moods etc. Although only 1% of the world’s population are psychopaths they usually are found in many jobs such as a lawyer, surgeons, chef and a salesperson. I’m not surprised with this information as a surgeon would need to be so far removed from normal human feelings to be able to be so calm in high intense situations and to be able to cut into another humans flesh with no remorse, or being a sales person psychopaths typically have the trait of being cunning and manipulative which would be vital for them to sell customers their products. Psychopaths are usually typically confused with sociopaths, but sociopaths are a result from event such as head injuries or abuse/neglect in their childhood (nature aspect) whereas psychopaths are born the way they are (nurture aspect).

Typically serial killers and people in that class of crime activities have a troubling past either with abuse/neglect, drugs etc. (causing to be a sociopath). There have been many serial killers that didn’t have a troubling past such as a famous American serial killer and sex offender called Jeffrey Dahmer who committed the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men and boys from 1978 to 1991. Many of his later murders involved necrophilia and cannibalism. Dahmer had a “normal” childhood and his father Lionel Dahmer wrote a book called “a fathers story” where he tried to search for answers and reasons for his son’s crimes. Jeffrey had psychosis which is an abnormal condition of the mind that results in difficulties determining what is real and what is not. Symptoms may include false beliefs (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear (hallucinations). Although diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and schizotypal personality disorder which can also cause psychosis that doctor’s say is a form of schizophrenia. And these mental health disorders are typically influenced by ones genetics. Testing is also being done to check for central nervous system diseases, toxins, or other health problems as a cause. This testing could suggest that many of these problems are in the nature aspect of a human and which can argue that people like Jeffrey who it affected was born this way, born bad due to their nature.

What can we do to help? I believe to prevent crimes such as Jeffrey Dahmer’s and many types of mental health issues that someone may have to be recognised with a mental health test every year as many people who have issues don’t go to receive help. I believe if we had a test everyone had to do to scan someone’s wellbeing across symptoms of a mass health issues to help the nations society of rising issue and before drastic actions and severe consequences are brought to light.

With evidence I’ve found about genes and brains scans that link with my topic, I have a strong opinion that someone can be born bad. Many books such as “murderous minds” and “the psychopath inside” go alone the same opinion. Nurture will always be an impact on how someone is but nature is the leading contribute, as you would say someone who has a lot of empathy and kind personality will and is due to their nature and moral compass.