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Title: Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Offending Over the Life Course
Resulting in 1 citation.
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McCartan, Lisa Marie |
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Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Offending Over the Life Course Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2003 Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79 Publisher: UMI - University Microfilms, Bell and Howell Information and Learning Keyword(s): Adolescent Behavior; Behavior Problems Index (BPI); Behavior, Antisocial; Behavioral Problems; Children, Behavioral Development; Delinquency/Gang Activity; Genetics; Life Course; Peers/Peer influence/Peer relations Judith Rich Harris has proposed a controversial and innovative theory in Group Selection Theory. Within the field of criminology, the socialization processes that occur early on in the life course, particularly those within the family, are viewed as being crucial to the development and persistence of antisocial behavior. Instead of arguing along these contemporary lines, that parenting is a critical factor in the development of behavior, Harris argues the opposite: parents have no lasting effect on behavior. GS theory contends that genetic and peer factors are the critical causal variables in the development of behavior. To discern the existence of genetic influence and the strength of the influence, two statistical techniques are employed: Random Effects Regression and DeFries-Fuker (DF) analysis. Using the NLSY-child, the current analysis examined this theory at three points in the life course: childhood, mid-adolescence and late adolescence. Each developmental stage has yielded different results with only some lending support to Harris' theory. The results indicate that both genetic and parental influences are predictive of early child behavior problems and late adolescent delinquency. During mid-adolescence, both genetic and parental measures fail to predict delinquency. However, delinquent peer influence strongly predicts delinquent behavior. These results offer only partial support of GS theory. However, the results strongly support findings from within life-course criminology. The theoretical implications of these results for both GS theory and life course criminology, as well as future research suggestions, are discussed. |
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Bibliography Citation
McCartan, Lisa Marie. Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Offending Over the Life Course. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2003. |