Nature Trumps Nurture c

Nature Trumps Nurture

Mrs. Field

LNG 406

9 February 2011

The Peculiar Psychology of the Criminal

The influence of the world and everything it encompasses on the character of the

individual is much greater than that of borne inherent behavioral features. If one grows up

without developing moral acuity, the cause can most easily be attributed to a negatively

influential environment, whether it is one recognized for its parental abuse or neglect at home,

impoverished living conditions, or for its slums and high crime rates. It is due to these types of

circumstances that Perry Smith and Dick Hickock chose a life of crime, since taking by force

what they desired proved to be an easier alternative. The effect of genetic and environmental

factors on personality and other character traits has been the subject of debate for a long time,

and students still exchange commentary on the topic today. The argument for nature has grown

in strength in recent decades due to new biological discoveries. The ideas for this debate may be

easily argued in the context of Truman Capote¶s þ

. Most genes are responsible for

the physical characteristics and potential mental capacity of the individual, whereas the morals

we believe in and the choices we make are influenced primarily by non-genetic environmental

factors. Some notable nurture arguments include the influence of parental guidance, of the local

surroundings, and of life-changing traumatic experiences. The most immediate influence to

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children are their parents and their home life, which imposes a great impact on not only the

child¶s character development, but also that of the entire family.

The mother and father play one of the most heavily influential roles in a child¶s life as

they have characteristically shaped their moral values, opinions, and even religious persuasion,

as with Perry who was shaped by an abusive and neglectful father into a violent and

unpredictable man with barbaric urges and confused moral values. As proven social science has

generally found that human behavior is greatly affected by experiences with other individuals, it

should come as no surprise that the extraordinarily unique relationship between parents and their

children greatly influences youth character development where even their inherent behavioral

traits can be trained and nurtured. Parents can either choose to be sensitive to their child¶s needs

and provide a loving and productive environment for their talents and tendencies to flourish or

they can dismiss their parental responsibilities and instead create an unstable and oppressive

home life.These dreadful parenting tendencies include but are not limited to hypocrisy, neglect,

and abuse which always fails to promote moral acuity and instead instigates ruinous behavior

and sad perceptions of the world in general. Perry is obviously the product of such a childhood,

and it molded him in a man readily capable of cold blooded murder (Capote).

Perry never developed a warm relationship with his parents because neither of them were

sensitive to his needs as a child or teen. Perry¶s mother did not uphold her maternal duty to

properly her child nurtured her alcohol addiction instead.The absence of motherly love alone is

the absence of a valuable childhood asset, but Flo¶s neglect of her children was particularly

detrimental to Perry because she prioritized alcohol, which told him that it was more important to
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her than she was. Even if this was not true, her actions spoke louder than her words and this may

have contributed to low self-esteem.Following her divorce with Tex, Perry grew up with his

violent and neglectful father. Without anyone to tell him right from wrong, Perry never truly

grasped the importance of moralism and easily fell in with the wrong crowd. His time in the

Catholic orphanage didn¶t help either, because his inherent tendencies (wetting the bed as a

child) were met with harsh discipline rather than meaningful reform and understanding. Perry

confessed to suffering through these ordeals when he said ³It was not long afterward that my

mother put me to stay in a Catholic orphanage«the Black Widows were always at me. Hitting

me,´ (Capote 132). With prolonged exposure to negative environmental influences and virtually

no effective relief, one must wonder if it was even possible for a well-natured and stable man to

come of such an upbringing. Throughout the course of the novel, Capote¶s readers are able to

relate Perry¶s wrongdoings to similar experiences in his childhood which were responsible for

inducing the behavioral tendencies and psychological complexes that defined his personality.

Alice Kelly¶s ³Nature vs. Nurture´ article discussed the positive effects of good infant

care. Though Kelly concedes to the fact that hereditary components play their part in shaping

personality, she asserts that nurture plays the larger role and supports her claim with evidence

from several university studies. One study from the University of Chicago found that ³fussy

babies are more likely to have behavior problems in first grade«but when parents give them

lots of intellectual stimulation²such as talking and reading to them²during their first year, the

risk of trouble later on diminishes´ (Kelly). The studies together generally asserted that by

providing a more responsive environment to their child¶s needs, positive behavioral and
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intellectual development would ensue. The Consumer Health Complete database published an

article written by Stephen Bavolek and Juliana Dellinger-Bavolek that studied the effects of

favorable parenting techniques on the development of empathy in young children. The study

reports that parents can help their children to develop the feelings of empathy by using nurturing

disciplinary techniques, teaching them responsibility, allowing them to share their feelings, and

by modeling empathy themselves. The article defines empathy as ³the ability to put oneself in

another person's place in order to perceive the subjective experience of that person´ (Bavolek,

Dellinger-Bavolek). When a child does not properly develop feelings of empathy, they may ³fill

their emptiness with desperate choices of addictions and self-destructive behaviors´ (Bavolek,

Dellinger-Bavolek). When observing Perry¶s childhood, it is obvious that his father did not

employ these techniques or even attempt to make him understand empathy. Instead, his father

was abusive and neglectful, which not only failed to promote empathy but caused him to develop

twisted and confused moral perspectives.This neglect resulted in Perry not being able to truly

perceive morality as being important.There are many different ways in which social scientists

have defined neglect, and have related its causes to many factors, among them being poverty and

parents under severe stress. It has been observed that parents often raise their children based off

of how they were raised by their parents, so both positive and negative parenting techniques alike

are passed down through generations. When faced with depression, parents find it increasingly

difficult to cope with themselves, let alone their children. In many circumstances depression is

induced by poverty and other environmental pressures, which demonstrates that these
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environmental influences share many connections. In some cases, the local atmosphere may have

a drastic impact not only on the household, but also on the community as a whole.

Of overwhelming consequence to the character of man is the environment in which he is

raised, and should those factors be negative then the nature of its influence will be the same, as

with Dick and Perry who were raised in poverty. The literal environment being spoken of here

simply refers to the town and the local conditions associated with it. This also includes education

and peer influence. It is statistically more likely for someone to commit crime whenever they are

influenced by peers, or motivated to do so out of poverty or other circumstances. If one asserts

that genes plays a larger role in criminal psychology than worldly influence, then one must also

suggest that the similar crime rates in urban areas across the globe are attributed to coincidence.

Police records have shown that crime shares a strong connection with local conditions. Poor

education, poverty, prejudice, negative peer influence, violence, drug availability, and frequent

criminal activity to name a few are some of the characteristics associated with an environment

that promotes criminal conduct.

This argument is relative to Truman Capote¶s þ

 because Perry Smith and

Dick Hickock were subject to unfavorable circumstances growing up, though admittedly Perry

more so than Dick. Perry did not have the luxury of a stable home life growing up. He witnessed

the violent marital disputes that led to his parents¶ divorce, was both physically and sexually

abused in the orphanage, and then spent much of his youth traveling with his violent and reckless

father. Being made to drop out of school after the third grade was also a huge disadvantage to

Perry, because he wasn¶t allowed the safe and stable structure that school offers. His education
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may have exerted the positive influence on his moral and intellectual acuity that his father never

offered, and it would have also allowed for him to possibly make friends with a better crowd of

people. Perry would forever be jealous of those who did receive that education because he felt

that he was robbed of his potential, and he effectively was. The Clutter family was representative

of everything Perry truly wanted; a loving family, respect, modest wealth, education, and they

had a home. His horrendous home life molded him into a man far different than the one he

wanted to be, and his legacy became one of avenging his frustrations on others. Dick was also

not allowed the luxury of a complete education, which set him back and caused him great

frustration because he would not be able to go where he wanted in life and earn the material

wealth he longed for, which made him view crime as an alternative (Capote).

Morrison Douglas analyses the nature of crime in his book 

 
þ


Going

beyond the nature versus nurture question, he discusses crime in nearly every light imaginable.

He asserts that the nature of crime is very complex, but much of the book¶s contents discuss

crime as the product of society. While observing India¶s low homicide rates he asserted that

³The peculiar structure of society is unquestionably the most satisfactory explanation of the high

position occupied by the inhabitants of India with respect to crime´ (Douglas). Though he

certainly wouldn¶t choose between the nature versus nurture question if someone begged the

question, his text shows that crime is influenced by a seemingly limitless number of factors.

With this perspective in mind, it sounds almost silly to argue that genetic influence trumps all

else. There are also forms of influence not related to home life or local conditions, such as
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thoseinvited by traumatic experiences which carry with them the potential to change one¶s

character forever.

When subject to traumatic experiences it is possible for someone to develop mental

instability as a result of not being able to cope with the drastic nature of the event, and this

mental instability is likely to foster criminal inclinations. Perry Smith suffered from trauma

throughout his whole life. Many psychologists have even attributed the causes of Multiple

Personality Disorder to life changing trauma. This life changing phenomenon is nearly as old as

the human gene pool itself, as our race has waged war and produced foul men and women for

thousands of years. Many forms of trauma occur during childhood, when the young mind is

particularly weak and vulnerable to the horrors of physical and sexual child abuse, violence, and

other sources of traumatic stress. However, even adults are capable of being changed by

traumatic circumstances given that the nature of the ordeal is severe enough. In adults this

commonly refers to war experiences, the horror of which can only truly be known by the soldier

or someone else directly involved in the conflict.

Perry has suffered from trauma numerous times throughout his life. Whether it was the

physical abuse imposed by his reckless father in his youth, the sexual molestation he suffered

from with his caregivers, or the tragedies of war experienced in his adulthood, trauma has been

invited more than once into Perry¶s life and his life outside of those experiences were only filled

with more disappointment and poor influences (Capote). Indeed, trauma can be experienced by

  age group, including infants. Autumn Gentry discusses trauma in infants in her article

³Preventing and Healing Infant Birth Trauma´. In it she lists the many causes of infant birth
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trauma, including but not limited to ³birth routines such as bulb suctioning, fetal scalp

monitoring, adverse reactions to medications, rough treatment, extended separations from the

mother, blood testing or circumcision´ (Gentry). Unfortunately, these experiences are often not

forgotten unless early treatment is administered to the problem and the child is in good hands.

This is important to note because Perry Smith was never in good hands. The author goes on to

state that ³Often, if unresolved, traumatized infants may carry their affliction into childhood.

Unsettled trauma can lead to a wide variety of emotional and physical problems´ (Gentry). Birth

is also influenced by the mental and physical health of the mother. Perry¶s mother was an

alcoholic who suffered abuse from her husband, so she suffered from both mental and physical

health issues. This brings to mind fetal alcohol syndrome, a disorder born with infants to mothers

who drank during pregnancy. An excerpt from the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia reported

that a few of the symptoms ³include low birth weight, facial deformities, and mental retardation,

and there appears to be an association with impulsive behavior, anxiousness, and an inability on

the part of the affected children to understand the consequences of their actions´ (Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome). Several of these traits can be observed in Perry¶s character, taking note of social

avoidance, impulsive behavior, anxiousness, and an inability to understand the consequences. It

should also be noted that heavily abused mothers are likely to give birth to infants with known

defects, and the stress the mother endures also negatively influences child development even

prior to birth.

Though there is not concrete proof that Perry suffered the full extent of either fetal

alcohol syndrome or infant birth trauma, it cannot be denied that he was in fact abused as a child
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after birth. Another article published in the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia examined the

effects of child abuse. It stated that ³Abused children are more likely to experience generalized

anxiety, depression, truancy, shame and guilt, or suicidal and homicidal thoughts or to engage in

criminal activity, promiscuity, and substance abuse´ (Child Abuse). Anxiety, depression, an

increased likelihood of engaging in criminal activity, substance abuse, and homicide are

obviously relevant in Perry¶s personality. Many geneticists will argue that people are born with

some of these disorders. While this is true in many cases, even the renowned geneticist will have

to concede that nurture is the primary cause in Perry¶s context, and there is no doubt that our

world is inhabited by many others like him.

Setting childhood experiences aside, even the adult is not safe from traumatic stress.

Many soldiers experience shell shock and post-traumatic stress disorder after enduring the ordeal

of war and the life changing, gut wrenching experiences that come with it. Though Capote

doesn¶t reveal much about Perry¶s time in Japan, it is likely that he was impacted by it in some

way or another. Though it is not practical to argue that all criminals suffer from traumatic

experiences, it is fair to argue that it is very relevant in the context of þ

 and in the

case of those who have provided similar testimony. It is also apparent that Dick Hickock was

psychologically influenced in developing his perspectives of life. When traumatic experiences,

poor or nonexistent parental guidance, and an unstable surrounding are all considered, one must

ask themselves if the answer really comes from the genetic argument. In this case, it seems

almost irrelevant.
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Though the strength of the nature argument has grown in more recent times due to new

discoveries in genetics, it must still be understood that the connection between inherited genes

and someone¶s actions are still theoretical and cannot be stated as fact. Whatever the case may

be, people are usually mentally nurtured to think and behave differently from what they have

originally been inclined to. Genetics may partially account for the development of some

personality traits, but the lessons and moral values learned and perceived by the influence of our

parents, educators, and othersocietal aspects shape us into who we are.

The opposition would have you believe that our behavior is primarily influenced by our

genetics, but this simply isn¶t true. Geneticists have proven that some inherited genes are

responsible for personality disorders, which may promote criminal conduct. The psychologist

from Capote¶s þ

 believed that Perry was schizophrenic, and he obviously featured

antisocial traits. However, this science applies almost exclusively to mental personality disorders

in that respect, which are more akin to mental diseases than bits of personality. Most people are

not born with mental diseases, and we obviously do not inherit entire personalities from our

parents. The powerful impact of the limitless non-genetic influences on behavioral conduct and

opinion cannot be denied. Someone born in China will be shaped to think differently than

someone born in the United States and will even look differently (at least in skin tone) regardless

of whether or not he or she is of that ethnicity because that person is subject to the influence of

everyone and everything around them.The theory of Darwinism even supports the nurture

position, as it asserts that life is affected by changes in the environment. With this logic in mind,

µnurture¶ effectively   µnature¶. Geneticists may argue with fairly convincing scientific
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and mathematic evidence that genes are responsible for many behavioral features, including

those that may be responsible for criminal conduct, but it may be easily observed that the

opinions and moral values of the individual overpower whatever inherent traits they were born

with. This is because opinions and moral values aren¶t shaped by genetics, but by these highly

influential environmental factors such as home life, education, society, and everything else on

this planet that may so much as cause us to flinch. A man with moral acuity will not murder

another man in cold blood simply because they possess a gene that makes them more vulnerable

to barbaric urges. On the other hand, someone who grew up outside of significant positive moral

influence will have morals and ideas that differ greatly from the norm. This is especially true in

the case of parental neglect, abuse, poverty, poor education, and traumatic mind altering

experiences. A twin study published in P 
 released scientific and mathematic

evidence that demonstrated that in most cases genetic influence can barely account for half

person¶s chances of developing a personality disorder such as social avoidance, anxiety, etc. It

has been recorded, that genetics can generally be attributed to 30% to 50% of someone¶s

personality. Whereas environmental influence affects personality from 50% to 70%, therefore

math is in favor of the nurture argument.It is widely believed, even by many scientists and

researchers that the outside influence 

 such development and is in many cases more

responsible for it. In a study published by Julia Glass on the Consumer Health Complete

database, geneticist Dr. Saudino said ³When it comes to personality, genes don¶t determine

anything. They set up a range of possibilities. We know that genes influence heart disease, but if

it runs in your family, do you throw up your hands and say there¶s nothing you can do? No. You
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can¶t change your genes, but you can choose how to live your life´ (Glass 2). Of course, it must

be acknowledged that genetics is a valuable of study. It is based largely on factual findings, but

its part in psychology is simply exaggerated. The argument for environmental determinism is

greater because it has a stronger basis in fact and social studies whereas the 
 between

genetic influence and behavioral conduct is incontrovertibly split between environmental

influence and has a stronger basis in theory.

Leading up to their execution in 1965, Dick and Perry were influenced in a variety of

ways, by everything they came into contact with. From birth Perry Smith has been shifted back

and forth between his mother, father, the orphanage, back to his father, on the streets, in school

for a time, in the military and later in jail and back again until his execution. He suffered all his

life from abuse, neglect, poverty, lack of education, and peer influence. Many of his actions

throughout the novel parallel important aspects of his childhood. This argument is less easy to

make for Dick, though it can be said that he lacked the sheer nerve Perry had acquired from his

rough past. His parents were also a little over protective, and he was never able to complete his

education and earn the living he had desired all throughout his impoverished childhood. As the

research clearly indicated, the influence exerted on our development by our parents, local

climate, and experiences shape who we are in the face of the world. As we think of a strategy to

reduce crime rates, we should keep in mind the causes for their actions. Increased fines and

harsher punishment can only avert crime so much. They cannot target the societal causes for

which the criminal has done what he¶s done. The answer to the issue of crime is found less with

police strategy and more with progressive reform. If prison were made to better the character of
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its inmates then it could exerta positive effect on our society, whereas the jail houses of today

merely crowd together society¶s criminal byproducts into cells and expect them to become better

people after only continued exposure to bad people and bad ideas. It has been proven time and

time again that exposure to harsh environments and negative influences produces undesired

effects on the individual, whether it be the severe stress required to trigger a personality defect or

the constant neglect and abuse of the empty house that is not a home. With this in mind, do you

believe it is nature or nurture that exerts the most influence on the individual?
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Works Cited

"Nature vs. nurture: Neck and neck." P 
 27.3 (1994): 18.



 . EBSCO. Web. 30 Jan. 2011.

Douglas, Morrison W. ³Crime & Its Causes.´ 












Web. 24.

May 2011.

Bavolek, Stephen J., and Juliana Dellinger-Bavolek. "If Only I Had A Heart."  





 !

. EBSCO. Web. 3 Feb. 2011.

Columbia University, Press. "Child abuse."  


 
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"
#


(2010): 1-2.  








. EBSCO. Web. 11 Feb. 2011

Gentry, Autumn. "Preventing and Healing Infant Birth Trauma."  




 !

.

EBSCO. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

"Fetal Alcohol Syndrome." 









. EBSCO, 7 May 2009. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

Glass, Julia. ³Nature of Nurture?´  




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Web. 25. Jan. 2011.

Kelly, Alice L. ³Nature vs. Nurture´. 




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 Web. 24. Jan. 2011

³Anxiety and Nature vs. Nurture.´  




 !

 EBSCO. Web. 30. Jan. 2011.

Capote, Truman.þ

. New York: Vintage, 1994. Print.

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