Cited by 136Bullying, Victimization, and AggressionChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

Genetic and environmental stability differs in reactive and proactive aggression

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Tuvblad, Catherine, Raine, Adrian, Zheng, Mo, Baker, Laura A.·2009·Aggressive Behavior

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine stability and change in genetic and environmental influences on reactive (impulsive and affective) and proactive (planned and instrumental) aggression from childhood to early adolescence. The sample was drawn from an ongoing longitudinal twin study of risk factors for antisocial behavior at the University of Southern California (USC). The twins were measured on two occasions: ages 9-10 years (N=1,241) and 11-14 years (N=874). Reactive and proactive aggressive behaviors were rated by parents. The stability in reactive aggression was due to genetic and nonshared environmental influences, whereas the continuity in proactive aggression was primarily genetically mediated. Change in both reactive and proactive aggression between the two occasions was mainly explained by nonshared environmental influences, although some evidence for new genetic variance at the second occasion was found for both forms of aggression. These results suggest that proactive and reactive aggression differ in their genetic and environmental stability, and provide further evidence for some distinction between reactive and proactive forms of aggression.

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  • Reactive and proactive aggression have each been found to be mainly influenced by genetic and nonshared environmental factors, and their genetic correlation is significantly less than 1.0, indicating some genetic specificity for the two forms.

    “Although reactive and proactive aggression have each been found to be mainly influenced by genetic and nonshared environmental factors, their genetic correlation is significantly less than 1.0, indicating some genetic specificity for the two forms of aggression.”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Tuvblad et al., 2009

  • Reactive and proactive aggression each exhibit different developmental patterns in genetic and environmental influences.

    “Reactive and proactive aggression each exhibit different developmental patterns in these influences (see Table 8.2; Baker et al., 2008; Tuvblad et al., 2009), that is, the genetic and environmental stability in reactive and proactive aggression has been found to differ.”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Tuvblad et al., 2009

  • In one longitudinal analysis, the stability in reactive aggression from childhood to adolescence could be explained by genetic (48%), shared (11%), and nonshared (41%) environmental influences, whereas the continuity in proactive aggression was primarily genetically (85%) mediated.

    “In one of the few longitudinal analyses of these constructs, the stability in reactive aggression from childhood to adolescence could be explained by genetic (48%), shared (11%), and nonshared (41%) environmental influences, whereas the continuity in proactive aggression was primarily genetically (85%) mediated (Tuvblad et al., 2009).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Tuvblad et al., 2009

  • The RFAB study found no differences in mean levels between MZ and DZ twins in reactive or proactive aggression.

    “Findings from the RFAB study show no differences in mean levels between MZ and DZ twins in reactive or proactive aggression (Baker et al., 2008; Tuvblad et al., 2009).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Tuvblad et al., 2009

  • It is likely that there are different etiologies for different forms of aggression; for example, defensive reactions to threatening stimuli may be more environmentally influenced, while more planned, proactive forms may be more genetically influenced.

    “It is likely that there are different etiologies for different forms of aggression; for example, defensive reactions to threatening stimuli may be more environmentally influenced, while more planned, proactive forms may be more genetically influenced (Tuvblad et al., 2009).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Tuvblad et al., 2009

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Authors
Tuvblad, C., Raine, A., Zheng, M., & Baker, L. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Southern California (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Tuvblad, Catherine
Venue
Aggressive Behavior
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2009-08-17
Volume
35
Issue
6
Pages
437-452
ISSN
  • 0096-140X (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-2337
OpenAlex
W2141787167
Cited by
136
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 8
FWCI
8.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Aggressive Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Kempe Foundation
  • National Institute of Mental Health (K02MH001114, K02 MH01114-08, R01MH058354)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Keywords
reactive aggression, proactive aggression, genetic stability, environmental stability, nonshared environment, antisocial behavior, childhood to adolescence, twin studies, impulsivity
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Aggression, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Child, Child Behavior, Child Behavior Disorders, Child Development, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diseases in Twins, Environment, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Models, Psychological, Parents, Reference Values, Self-Assessment, Sex Factors, Social Behavior, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic, Intention, Adolescent Development

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