Antisocial Personality Disorder

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the causes of antisocial personality disorder, while also considering issues such as nature vs. nurture, its prevalence and characteristics, and comparing and contrasting Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) with true psychopathology.

Outline:
Introduction
Definition and Causes
Nature vs. Nurture
The Nature Theory - Heredity
Considering Nurture - Environment and Experience:
Defining Madness
Confessions of a Son of Sam
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"The debate, however, increased due to an article that appeared in the magazine Life (1998), which addressed the issue in more nuanced terms. The article, which was entitled "Were You Born That Way?," rather than focusing on competitive notions of nature vs. nurture, discussed the implications of an inter-connected relationship. Based on some of the research already mentioned within this paper, the authors proposed that nature has a slight advantage over nurture in relation to the construction of human personality. The outcome was primarily based on twin studies, including both fraternal and identical twins, suggested that characteristics such as optimism, pessimism, happiness, assertiveness, career choice, extroversion, risk aversion, and so forth, are not only influenced by the person's surrounding environment, but also by the individual's genetic make-up. The main focus, therefore, is based on the theory that if genetics are not involved in determining personality traits, how can the fact that twins, even when reared apart, develop striking similarities."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Psychological Association (1994). "Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders." Published by the American Psychological Association. Washington DC.
• Cohen, Patricia. "Childhood Risks for Young Adult Symptoms of Personality Disorder: Method and Substance." Journal Title: Multivariate Behavioral Research. Volume: 31. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 1996.
• CrimeLibrary.com (2008). Online article: "First Steps." Information retrieved 04/30/2008.< http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/cunanan/steps_2.html>
• Elliott, D. S., & Menard, S. (1996). "Delinquent friends and delinquent behavior: Temporal and developmental patterns." In J. D. Hawkins (Ed.), Delinquency and crime: Current theories (pp. 28-67). New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Geringer, Joseph (2007). Online article: "Without Definition." Information retrieved 04/29/2008.<http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/cunanan/index_1.html

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