Human aggression across the lifespan: genetic propensities and environmental moderators.
paper
Cited
Public
- Authors
- Tuvblad, Catherine; Baker, Laura A
- Year
- 2011
- Journal
- Advances in genetics
- PMID
- 22078481
- DOI
- 10.1016/B978-0-12-380858-5.00007-1
- PMCID
- PMC3696520
This chapter reviews the recent evidence of genetic and environmental influences on human aggression. Findings from a large selection of the twin and adoption studies that have investigated the genetic and environmental architecture of aggressive behavior are summarized. These studies together show that about half (50%) of the variance in aggressive behavior is explained by genetic influences in both males and females, with the remaining 50% of the variance being explained by environmental factors not shared by family members. Form of aggression (reactive, proactive, direct/physical, indirect/relational), method of assessment (laboratory observation, self-report, ratings by parents and teachers), and age of the subjects-all seem to be significant moderators of the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on aggressive behavior. Neither study design (twin vs. sibling adoption design) nor sex (male vs. female) seems to impact the magnitude of the genetic and environmental influences on aggression. There is also some evidence of gene-environment interaction (G Γ E) from both twin/adoption studies and molecular genetic studies. Various measures of family adversity and social disadvantage have been found to moderate genetic influences on aggressive behavior. Findings from these G Γ E studies suggest that not all individuals will be affected to the same degree by experiences and exposures, and that genetic predispositions may have different effects depending on the environment.
Twin correlations across age groups (all studies).
Twin correlations across method of assessment (all studies).
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Next β
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| 5-HTTLPR | variant |
| 5HTTLPR low activity VNTR allele local | variant |
| academic performance | phenotype |
| ADHD | phenotype |
| adolescent antisocial behavior | phenotype |
| adolescent drinking | phenotype |
| adolescents | cohort |
| adolescent sample | cohort |
| adopted children | cohort |
| Adoptees | cohort |
| adoption samples local | cohort |
| adoption studies | cohort |
| adoptive parents | cohort |
| Adoptive siblings local | cohort |
| adulthood | cohort |
| adults | cohort |
| adult sample | cohort |
| adverse childhood experiences | phenotype |
| Adverse rearing environment local | phenotype |
| African American | cohort |
| age of first police contact local | phenotype |
| aggression | phenotype |
| Aggressive affect local | phenotype |
| Aggressive cognition local | phenotype |
| Aggressive impulsivity local | phenotype |
| Aggressive parents local | phenotype |
| Aggressive reactions to provocation local | phenotype |
| Aggressive symptoms of conduct disorder local | phenotype |
| alcohol | phenotype |
| alcohol abuse | phenotype |
| Alcohol Use | phenotype |
| Antisocial outcomes local | phenotype |
| antisocial personality disorder | phenotype |
| anxiety | phenotype |
| argumentativeness local | phenotype |
| Argumentativeness local | phenotype |
| arson | phenotype |
| attempted rape | phenotype |
| BDHI local | phenotype |
| behavior | phenotype |
| Behavioral and emotional problems local | phenotype |
| Benign environments local | phenotype |
| better-off neighborhoods local | cohort |
| Biological parents | cohort |
| Biological siblings local | cohort |
| birth parents | cohort |
| birth weight | phenotype |
| bullying | phenotype |
| child aggression local | phenotype |
| childhood | cohort |
| Childhood samples local | cohort |
| children | cohort |
| Cloninger et al., 1982 local | cohort |
| Cloninger et al. 1985 local | cohort |
| cognitive ability | phenotype |
| COMT | gene |
| conduct disorder | phenotype |
| controls | cohort |
| crime | phenotype |
| Criminal offending local | phenotype |
| cruelty toward others local | phenotype |
| Cruelty toward others local | phenotype |
| Deater-Deckard and Plomin 1999 study local | cohort |
| Defensive reactions local | phenotype |
| defiance | phenotype |
| delinquency | phenotype |
| development | phenotype |
| direct physical aggression local | phenotype |
| Direct physical aggression local | phenotype |
| Disadvantaged environments local | phenotype |
| disinhibition | phenotype |
| Disinhibitory spectrum local | phenotype |
| dopamine | drug |
| DRD2 | gene |
| DRD3 | gene |
| DRD4 | gene |
| drug | drug |
| drug dependence | phenotype |
| Dunedin sample local | cohort |
| Dutch family local | cohort |
| DZ male-female twins local | cohort |
| Early adverse environment local | phenotype |
| eating behavior | phenotype |
| empathy | phenotype |
| environment | drug |
| environmental factors | drug |
| Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study local | cohort |
| environmental vulnerability local | phenotype |
| Epinephrine local | drug |
| E-risk study local | cohort |
| European ancestry | cohort |
| exhibitionism | phenotype |
| exposure to media violence local | drug |
| externalizing behavior | phenotype |
| externalizing disorders | phenotype |
| families of boys local | cohort |
| families of girls local | cohort |
| Families of girls local | cohort |
| family dysfunction | phenotype |
| Family warmth local | phenotype |
| gene effect (mean levels) local | phenotype |
| generalized anxiety disorder | phenotype |
| gene relative variance (heritability) local | phenotype |
| genes | gene |
| genetic liability for conduct disorder local | phenotype |
| genetic risk | cohort |
| genetic risk factors local | drug |
| Gestation length local | phenotype |
| harsh discipline | phenotype |
| heritability | phenotype |
| high-activity MAOA genotype local | variant |
| High socioeconomic status local | phenotype |
| high socioeconomic status (SES) local | phenotype |
| identical twins (MZ) females local | cohort |
| identical twins (MZ) males local | cohort |
| impulsivity | phenotype |
| indirect hostility local | phenotype |
| Indirect hostility local | phenotype |
| indirect relational aggression local | phenotype |
| Indirect relational aggression local | phenotype |
| intellectual disability | phenotype |
| Language development local | phenotype |
| Large population-based twin studies local | cohort |
| leadership local | phenotype |
| less advantaged neighborhoods local | cohort |
| Lewis et al. 2001 local | cohort |
| low-activity MAOA genotype local | variant |
| low socioeconomic status (SES) local | phenotype |
| major depressive disorder | phenotype |
| maltreated boys local | cohort |
| MAOA | gene |
| MAOA high-activity allele local | variant |
| MAOA low-activity allele | variant |
| MAOA mutation local | variant |
| maternal control local | phenotype |
| maternal negativity | phenotype |
| Maternal rejection local | phenotype |
| Media violence local | drug |
| MF local | phenotype |
| Minnesota Study of Twins and Families local | cohort |
| molecular genetic studies local | cohort |
| mood disorders | phenotype |
| Mother's control local | phenotype |
| Mother's monitoring local | phenotype |
| Mother's negativity local | phenotype |
| Mother's positivity local | phenotype |
| National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Ad-Health) local | cohort |
| negative affect | phenotype |
| negative parenting | phenotype |
| Nonadopted children local | cohort |
| Nonadoptees local | cohort |
| nonidentical twins (DZ) females local | cohort |
| nonidentical twins (DZ) males local | cohort |
| norepinephrine | drug |
| Northern America local | cohort |
| novelty seeking | phenotype |
| opposite-sex twins local | cohort |
| oppositional defiant disorder | phenotype |
| Overt physical aggression local | phenotype |
| parental criticism | phenotype |
| parental divorce/separation | phenotype |
| parents of twins local | cohort |
| personality traits | phenotype |
| phobic anxiety | phenotype |
| physical abuse | phenotype |
| physical activity | phenotype |
| physical health | phenotype |
| physical maltreatment local | drug |
| Planned proactive aggression local | phenotype |
| PNMT local | gene |
| Poor parenting local | phenotype |
| poverty | phenotype |
| pregnancy complications | phenotype |
| Preschool children local | cohort |
| prosocial behavior | phenotype |
| psychiatric disorders | phenotype |
| psychological function | phenotype |
| psychopathology | phenotype |
| psychopathy | phenotype |
| relationships | phenotype |
| religiosity | phenotype |
| RFAB study local | cohort |
| Rhee and Waldman 2002 local | cohort |
| Rutter 2006 local | cohort |
| serotonin | drug |
| sex | phenotype |
| Sexual jealousy local | phenotype |
| shared environment local | cohort |
| shared environmental influence | phenotype |
| sibling adoption design local | cohort |
| Sibling adoption studies local | cohort |
| singletons | cohort |
| SLC6A3 | gene |
| SNPs of epinephrine local | variant |
| SNPs of norepinephrine local | variant |
| SNPs of PNMT local | variant |
| social disadvantage | phenotype |
| socioeconomically advantaged environment local | cohort |
| socioeconomically disadvantaged environment local | cohort |
| socioeconomic status | phenotype |
| substance abuse | phenotype |
| substance use | phenotype |
| Swedish 16β17-year-old twins local | cohort |
| Swedish male adoptees cohort local | cohort |
| Threats to resources local | phenotype |
| Twin cohort | cohort |
| twin cohort (age 7-12) local | cohort |
| twin cohort (age 9-10, boys) local | cohort |
| twins aged 7β12 years local | cohort |
| Twins raised apart local | cohort |
| Twins raised together local | cohort |
| University of Southern California Twin Study of Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior local | cohort |
| van den Oord et al. (1994) local | cohort |
| van der Valk 1998 study local | cohort |
| van der Valk et al. (1998) local | cohort |
| Verbal aggression local | phenotype |
| verbal hostility local | phenotype |
| Verbal hostility local | phenotype |
| violence | phenotype |
| violent behavior | phenotype |
| violent video games local | drug |
| Violent video games local | drug |
| vulnerability to environmental stress local | phenotype |
| young adults | cohort |
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In this knowledge base
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|---|---|---|
| Genetic association study of childhood aggression across raters, instruments, and age. | 2021 | 34330890 |
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