Cited by 414Personality Traits and PsychologyNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorBullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Genetic and environmental architecture on human aggression.

Miles, Donna R., Carey, Gregory·1997·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Abstract

A meta-analysis was performed on data from 24 genetically informative studies by using various personality measures of aggression. There was a strong overall genetic effect that may account for up to 50 % of the variance in aggression. This effect was not attributed to methodological inadequacies in the twin or adoption designs. Age differences were important. Self-report and parental ratings showed genes and the family environment to be important in youth; the influence of genes increased but that of family environment decreased at later ages, Observational ratings of laboratory behavior found no evidence for heritability and a very strong family environment effect. Given that almost all substantive conclusions about the genetics of personality have been drawn from self or parental reports, this last rinding has obvious and important implications for both aggression research in particular and personality research. It has been fairly well established that aggression and antiso-cial behavior run in families. Researchers have either seen them as delinquency (Rowe, Rodgers, & Meseck-Bushey, 1992), criminality (Mednick, Moffit, Gabrielli, & Hutchings, 1986), conduct disorder (Jary & Stewart, 1985), or antisocial personal-

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.72.1.207

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  • About half of the variance in aggressive behavior is explained by genetic influences in both males and females, with the remaining half explained by nonshared environmental factors.

    “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.”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Miles and Carey, 1997

  • There is plenty of evidence, based on a variety of definitions of aggressive behavior from children to adults, for genetic propensity toward aggression.

    “Yet, there is also plenty of evidence, based on a variety of definitions of aggressive behavior from children to adults, for genetic propensity toward aggression (see reviews by Burt, 2009; Miles and Carey, 1997; Rhee and Waldman, 2002).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Miles and Carey, 1997

  • Increasing evidence suggests the importance of heritable factors in the development of aggressive behavior.

    “Increasing evidence suggests the importance of heritable factors in the development of aggressive behavior (Burt, 2009; Miles and Carey, 1997; Rhee and Waldman, 2002).”

    From Human Aggression Across the Lifespan (2011) · cites this paper as Miles and Carey, 1997

  • Previous research has demonstrated that for different phenotypes a pattern of decrease in shared environment and a concomitant increase in heritability and non-shared environmental effects during development, particularly for personality traits and cognitive abilities.

    “Previous research has demonstrated that for different phenotypes a pattern of decrease in shared environment and a concomitant increase in heritability and non-shared environmental effects during development, particularly for personality traits and cognitive abilities (Scarr & McCartney, 1983; Loehlin, 1992; Miles and Carey, 1997).”

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Authors
Miles, D. R., & Carey, G.
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Published
1997
Volume
72
Issue
1
Pages
207-217
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
OpenAlex
W4252015478
Cited by
414
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 24
FWCI
7.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
Keywords
aggression, heritability, family environment, genetic architecture, environmental architecture, personality, twin and adoption studies, age differences, antisocial behavior, conduct disorder

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