Posted: August 15th, 2022

Are You Good or Evil?

Are You Good or Evil?
Plenty of research is now being geared towards understanding human behavioral patterns and how they are impacted by genetics. As a result, one such study has shown that a blend of genetics and the environment in which one is brought up in has a massive impact on whether individuals turn out to be deviant or non-deviant. From the video, these two categories are referred to as ‘evil’ and ‘good’ respectively and can otherwise be explained by the use of the biosocial theory of criminology.
This theory suggests that both biological factors as well as social factors intertwine to provide grounds for the development of criminal behavior. Much like in the video, Eichelberger and Barnes (2015, p.6) go on to explain that genetics that could shape one’s neuro-criminology, hormones such as a high concentration of testosterone, and the environment with which one is nurtured in shape the kind of humans people grow to become. From the various studies highlighted in the video with determining if we are born good or evil to the assessment of blood samples from the rugby players and finally the brain scans and study of genetic family trees; the same observation was evident that the biosocial theory heavily supported the presence or lack thereof of deviance in adults.
It was astonishing to see how a simple brain scan can be used to predict deviance, an innovation that has opened doors towards the study of neurolaw and behavioral genomics, which may open doors for early release to so many incarcerated inmates. However, a weakness of implementing this practice is that even when combined with environmental issues, it cancels out the aspect of free will and self-control with which society bases deviant behavior. When used, brain scans will readily provide an excuse for deviant activity. Conversely, their use will allow the society to understand better why certain people behave the way they do and thus, as Aharoni et al. (2013) suggest, will provide a basis for the development of treatments that can treat high-risk offenders.

References
Aharoni, E., Vincent, G. M., Harenski, C. L., Calhoun, V. D., Sinnott-Armstrong, W., Gazzaniga, M. S., & Kiehl, K. A. (2013). Neuroprediction of future rearrest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(15), 6223-6228.
Eichelberger, R., & Barnes, J. C. (2015). Biosocial criminology. The Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment, 1-8.

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