Vol: 2, Issue: 4 2012

Page: 49-54

Study on Different Correlations Between Measures Temperament and Those of Aggression

Suresh Bhardwaj

One of the earliest attempts to link genetics and violent behavior occurred during the 1960s, when researchers thought they had discovered a propensity for violence in men born with an extra Y chromosome. Although the studies attracted a lot of attention at the time, further examination of XYY males revealed that they did not display any particularly violent tendencies. Furthermore, XYY males are extremely rare, and thus the syndrome could not possibly explain the frequency and prevalence of violent behavior around the globe. Scientists agree that there is probably a genetic component to aggression because violent behavior tends to run in families. However, with a complex behavior like aggression, it is especially difficult to separate genetic and environmental contributions. Most likely it is possible to inherit a predisposition to violence, but psychologists also stress that modeling aggressive behavior in the home is the surest method for propagating violence.