Nature or Nurture?

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the nature of antisocial personality disorder and its relation to genetic predisposition (nature) or environment (nurture). The paper discusses how the close links between these disorders and substance abuse seem to suggest that there is genetic influence, based on research that suggests that the tendency toward alcoholism is inherited. The paper explains the question that remains, however, about whether the tendency toward conduct disorder, and, later in life, the tendency toward antisocial personality disorder is genetic or whether it is caused by environmental factors, such as parenting styles or substance abuse.

From the Paper:

"A great deal of literature exists on antisocial personality disorder (APD). Much of the literature indicates that there is a correlation between substance abuse, primarily alcohol abuse and APD. Other literature indicates that conduct disorder preceded APD in a statistically significant portion of the diagnoses. One of these causes would seem to indicate that APD can be influenced by external factors, i.e., nurture. The other would suggest that APD is influenced by intrinsic factors, i.e., nature. Is there a definitive explanation for this disorder? Although there is no indication that conduct disorder occurs entirely by either genetic predisposition or by environmental influences, this writer is intrigued by the connection between this disorder, antisocial disorder and substance abuse."

More papers on Nature or Nurture?:

• Analytical Essay # 142103 : "Nature V. Nurture"
• Essay # 68630 : "Nature vs. Nurture"
• Analytical Essay # 149047 : "Nature vs. Nurture in Human Cloning"
• Analytical Essay # 119721 : "Personality: Nature or Nurture?"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: