Running Head: VIOLENCE BRED

Where is Violence Bred: In the Heart or In the Head?

Ansel Mederos
Devry University

Running Head: VIOLENCE BRED

Where is Violence Bred: In the Heart or In the Head?

There is a great cross concept debate that has raged on within the world of criminal
justice, behavior, and psychology which all beg the question: Where does violence come from?
For some, violence in an individual is the physical manifestation of experiencing a violent world.
An abusive home, poor living conditions, and poverty have taken some blame in regards to
generating violence, but in recent times a great finger has been pointed more specifically at
violence within the media, which children are being exposed to at greater rates. These
proponents of environmental factors claim that violence is learned, and by inundating an
individual with violent images, we can expect to see evidence of the causal link between media
violence and violence within the individual.
However, as technology and science continue to advance, research into what really lies
within the brain is proving to be a very hot topic. For these, and others looking for genetic
answers, it is not exposure to external violence that breeds new violence, but rather an
individuals most basic biology that does so. It is the opinion of this paper that individual biology
plays a vastly larger role in the dictation of violent behavior than does external stimuli.
Psychology
Increasingly impressive research has been shown to back biology in the nature versus
nurture debate. Doctor Eugene Beresin, M.D. and Doctor Steve Schlozman, M.D. both
coauthored an article in Psychology Today entitled Violent Video Games and Movies Causing
Violent Behavior, which, despite the title, does not back violent media as a cause for violent
behavior. What Doctors Beresin and Schlozman are saying, in regards to exposure to violent
video games specifically, is that, youth who have aggressive traits and are stressed are more

Running Head: VIOLENCE BRED

prone to delinquent and bullying behavior, and are also drawn to these games, but their behavior
in real life is not predicted by playing the games (2012). In their findings, Doctors Beresin and
Schlozman do make note that, of the children studied only about 5-6% showed a viable
relationship between screen violence and expressed violence, but that it must be emphasized
that there were no CAUSAL relationships found between violent games and violent behavior,
just CORRELATIONS (2012). So, the plot thickens! A small portion of children who
participated in the study did seem to grow more violent as a result of the violence portrayed on
their television screens and yet, the number was marginal in comparison with the total number
of participants. Seemingly, what has been discovered is that children who showed pre-existing
signs of aggression and stress were more likely to express themselves violently, with little to no
likelihood of a violent media connection.
Biology
In looking more closely at the brain itself, Adrian Raine is a leading expert who
specializes in mapping the brains of violent criminals. Author of The Anatomy of Violence: The
Biological Roots of Crime, Adrian Raine was interviewed by Terry Gross of NPRs Fresh Air
radio segment, who said, what [he] is doing is arguing that theres a biological basis really to all
forms of antisocial behavior you know, not just homicide, not just rape, not just pedophilia, but
just plain everyday thieving and stealing and even cheating (2013). Raine admits that there is an
undeniable likelihood that a persons social environment can shape them, but that discrediting a
persons biology would be to ignore two sides of the same coin. The science behind Raines brain
scans revealed that the murderers who participated in the study had poorer functioning frontal
regions within their brains than a normal individual. When examining the physiology of the
brain, the frontal regions containing the prefrontal cortex provide normal individuals with

Running Head: VIOLENCE BRED

impulse control, a trait severely damped within that of Raines criminal minds. What is more,
when psychopathic individuals were subject to the brain scans Raine discovered that the
amygdala which controls emotion was physically smaller than a healthy amygdala by a
whopping 18 percent. With this undeniable evidence, it is increasingly likely to conclude that
biology vastly contributes to a persons likelihood to resort to violence.
Battling Genes. So, if a persons violent behaviors can be attributed to not just their
psychology but their physiology, then how do we go about changing genetically predisposed
behaviors? In order to get head of the game, society will need to get creative in dealing with
these potentially malfunctioning and malformed brains. The most likely means of battling violent
genetics would begin at infancy. As with most children, parents readily health checks their babies
and toddlers periodically throughout their developmental stages, as well as providing necessary
screens and vaccinations. Why not make PET scans, MRIs and CTs readily available during
routine checkups in order to pinpoint potential biology related risks? In identifying these issues
as early as infancy, parents can make the necessary accommodations in dealing with this hazard,
be it through specialized learning or prehabilitation. Likewise, offering brain scans during an
adults yearly physical can also help identify any predisposition for violence, with a chance to
offer similar forms of prehabilitation. Though it seems farfetched, this theory may prove
invaluable in nipping future violent behavior in the bud, as our understanding of human
psychology and biology continues to advance with the continued efforts of doctors like Beresin
and Schlozman, and criminologists like Adrian Raine.

Running Head: VIOLENCE BRED

References
Beresin, E., & Schlozman, S. (2012). Violent video games and movies causing violent behavior.
Psychology Today.
Raine, A. (2013, April 30). Criminologist believes violent behavior is biological. (T. Gross,
Interviewer; NPR)