Born Bad? Behavior Problems Might Be Genetic

Apparently researchers from the University of Virginia have discovered that behavioral problems are imprinted in a child's DNA. Children labeled as disruptive, aggressive, argumentative or bullying are often born that way, the scientists claim.

Parents everywhere probably breathed a sigh of relief that naughty behavior wasn't simply learned at home; and each parent probably promptly pointed a finger at the other supplier of DNA......the child's other parent. After all, I think my daughter's argumentative, negative attitude is inherited from her dad, too...........right?

This research was carried out by studying identical twins sharing the exact same genes, and fraternal twins, which only share half the genetic makeup. Then the twins and their children were compared to see which genes were passed on and which were not.

Amazingly, the study found out that poor behavior might not just be learned from copying behavior seen at home. Behavioral traits like lying, arguing, bullying, and being aggressive are passed down just like eye color, hair color, and the shape of a nose.

Previous studies had indicated that certain genes combined with abusive or antisocial upbringing contributed to delinquency later in life. Even among adopted children, behavior patterns were largely the result of this gene plus upbringing.

The prevailing wisdom of the last several years has been that environment determines a child's social development and peer interaction. And that isn't strictly true, according to the results of this most recent study.

Some childhood development experts have had the theory that children are essentially good and any poor behavior is the result of a bad world making demands on a child. These libertarian folks believe that imposing any will on a child starts to warp his otherwise good nature.