Stafford Library: Nature vs. Nurture Resource Guide: Welcome

Need Help? Contact Us.

Phone: (573) 875-7381 or (800) 231-2391, ext. 7381

Text: (573) 535-5449

Attribution

This guide was created by Vandy Evermon for the assignments related to the influence of environment or genetics on criminal behavior. If you have any questions, please contact us.

About This Guide

This resource guide is designed to provide information on the topic of the causes of criminal behavior, whether environment or genetics.

Get Started

Key words that are useful for this topic are:

Nature versus nurture
Criminal behavior and causes
Criminal behavior and genetics
Criminal behavior and environment

Below are some articles on this topic.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate Research Starter
One of the longest-running controversies in psychology, the “nature versus nurture” debate is an academic question as to whether human behaviors, attitudes, and personalities are the result of innate biological or genetic factors (the “nature” side of the debate) or life experiences and experiential learning (“nurture”).
Nature versus Nurture and Criminal Behavior
Virtual Criminology: Insights from Genetic-Social Science and Heidegger
Full text, peer reviewed article
Criminal Behavior and Genetics
Full text, peer reviewed articles
Criminal Behavior & Genetics in PsycARTICLES
Full text, peer-reviewed articles.
Criminal Behavior and Environment
Full text, peer reviewed articles
Nature Nurture Controversy and Crime
Full text, peer reviewed articles in Academic Search Complete database.
Nature and Nurture Articles
Articles about nature and nurture.
Nature and Nurture
Includes books and e-books at Columbia College.
Human Beings Effect of Environment On
Includes books and e-books at Columbia College.
Nature Versus Nurture
The topic page on this subject from the Credo Reference database.
Includes essays from Credo Reference e-books.
Includes a a mind map of related terms that you can link to.

Selected E-Books

The Nurture Versus Biosocial Debate in Criminology by Kevin M. Beaver; J. C. Barnes (Editor); Brian B. Boutwell (Editor)
Call Number: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
ISBN: 9781452242255
Publication Date: 2014-02-10
The Nature and Nurture of Antisocial Outcomes by Kevin M. Beaver
Call Number: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
ISBN: 9781593324285
Publication Date: 2008

Key Databases

Criminal Justice
ProQuest Criminal Justice is a database supporting research on crime, its causes and impacts, legal and social implications, as well as litigation and crime trends. This database covers U.S. and international scholarly journals, it includes correctional and law enforcement trade publications, crime reports, crime blogs, and other material relevant for researchers.
PsycARTICLES
PsycARTICLES, from the American Psychological Association (APA), is a source of full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific articles in psychology. The database contains full-text peer-reviewed articles published by the American Psychological Association and affiliated journals.
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
The Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection provides the full text of articles from journals covering topics such as behavioral characteristics, psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational and experimental methods.
SocINDEX with Full Text
SocINDEX with Full Text offers comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study. Full-text journals, informative abstracts, books, monographs, conference papers and other non-periodical content sources, the database also includes searchable cited references for core coverage journals.

Streaming Videos

Breaking the Wall of Nature and Nurture: How Genes and Environment Combine to Affect our Life Course
What determines human behavior? In this video of his 2010 Falling Walls Conference lecture, Dalton Conley would say nature and nurture both play a role.
Nature vs. Nurture (Part One)
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, takes a fresh look at the nature vs. nurture controversy.
Nature vs. Nurture (Part Two)
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about studies that suggest the combination of a genetic predisposition towards violence, coupled with a bad home environment, is a toxic mixture that is most likely to lead to violent behavior.