Elliott Thomas

Mr. Stowe

English 103, Section 20

28 September 2011

Research Paper Freewrite

            Nature versus nurture in relation to human behavior has been a constant debate for many decades. After many experiments, scientist cannot seem to eliminate one or the other. Both have proven to affect human behavior. Criminal behavior is caused by genetic mishaps and certain disorders developed at birth. Environmental influences play a significant role in the development of aggressive behavior. How a person is raised determines how a gene is expressed. Criminals often cannot be blamed for their actions because their upbringing and gene expression has caused them to lose control of their behavior. Therefore, criminal behavior is determined by a combination of nature and nurture because one relies on the other for development.

            The sources I have already found are credible. The first source I found is from a neuropsychopharmacology website. It is well maintained by nature publishing group and the article is over 4 years old. It explains the complexity of nature versus nurture in respect to genes and their role. Another online source discusses experiments performed that conclude environment is essential to the development of violent behavior. The other sources support the conclusion that ones surroundings and culture shape our personalities and our gene expression. I suspect I will need some more sources that discuss the specific genes that are involved with violent behavior. Also, I would like to research specific crimes, which support environmental influences on violent behavior. Conducting an interview would be beneficial, but I think my research topic may be too complex to find someone who is fluent in this subject.

I may run into problems concerning the broadness of my topic. I have limited it to criminal behavior, not just behavior in general. If I run into problems with my topic being too broad, I may limit it, specifically, to serial killers and how nature and nurture affect their behavior. I could run into sources on nature being too complex for me to comprehend; however, this could be avoided by limiting the amount of primary sources I choose to use. I will have to thoroughly reword and generalize the information I obtain about gene functions, so that the reader can understand the facts without getting confused. 

Supporting research paper articles

Nature and Nurture Predispose to Violent Behavior: Serotonergic Genes and Adverse Childhood Environment

http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v32/n11/abs/1301359a.html

This article explains the complexity of nature versus nature. Basically, violent behavior manifests from both nature and nurture. Certain alleles and genotypes combined with early childhood environment can explain why people are more violent later in life. 

Sociological and Environmental Factors 
of Criminal Behavior

http://www.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/GeneticTesting/enviro.htm

This article describes two experiments that were done with twins. Identical twins are more likely to both exhibit criminal behavior than the fraternal twins. Another study was done where twins were adopted by two different families apart from each other. It concluded that a child is as aggressive as his or her guardians, not his or her biological parents. Obviously, nurture plays a role in violent behavior. 

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Criminal Behavior

http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/jones.html

This is an extensive article that will provide me with a multitude of research material for my paper. It discusses the neurochemicals that play a role in violent behavior and what the levels of each chemical indicates. Certain personality traits and disorders are known explanations for criminal behavior, as well. 

Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1598

Even though this article solely talks about serial killers, its provides insight into the argument of nature versus nurture in relation to criminal behavior. Most serial killers were raised in an abusive or neglectful environment, which would contribute to their violent tendencies. Problems with the frontal lobe of the brain, which controls normal human behavior, has been found in many serial killers. 

NATURE VS. NURTURE:
HOW MUCH FREE WILL DO REALLY WE HAVE?

http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/socpsy-2.html

A 1993 study expressed Americans' beliefs on how we turn out later in life. The article also discuss the role of sexuality. We cannot overcome the drive because the it blocks out rational thought. This could explain why violent rapes take place. Culture has been proven to shape our innateness. 

Research Paper Topics

Kinesiology

Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. This topic is really interesting to me because I find human behavior fascinating. I would like to argue that lie detector tests are accurate in their conclusions. I would go into detail about kinesiology and its background. Then i would argue that it has a vital part in lie detection.

Understanding Dreams


According to scientist, the average person spends about 6 years dreaming, but they have yet to figure out why we have dreams. I would like to argue that we can in fact control some of our dreams. However, dream control is not instantaneous and does not always work the way you want it to. I would go into detail about lucid and non-lucid dreaming and how to control those dreams. I think there is a lot to talk discuss in regard to this research topic. I have always found dreams fascinating and would like to do more research.

Picture for paper and thesis

Kacey Kahl's tattoo employs ethos, pathos, logos, and especially kairos because the underlying message of this particular piece of body art is he will guard and protect any woman's heart. 

Images for paper

Fat is NOT an advertising issue

When I think of real beauty, I picture the models and famous people in today’s pop culture. This may sound shallow, but it is what society has led me to believe is the essence of beauty. I know how hard it is for some women to accept their body for what it is, and that is why no advertising scheme could possibly change someone’s mind about accepting her body.

         Sure, a television ad for Dove, featuring women of all shapes, could make one feel good about herself for the time being, but it will not have a lasting effect. I for one did not buy the Dove products because of its campaign for real beauty. It honestly had no effect on me accepting my body. It is the model or the gorgeous actress that keeps us striving to better ourselves, because we cannot accept our bodies. No beauty campaign can change that. Even without the models or the actresses, women try to change their look in order to be like someone they are familiar with, perhaps a neighbor or co-worker. I almost think striving for physical perfection is instinctive. I do not believe women obsess over their image as Orbach so bluntly puts it by saying “It’s the only way to be. She will involve herself in trying to look younger, skinnier, taller, bigger-breasted, smaller-breasted and making sure ever surface is coiffed…” (388). Few women consume themselves with the thoughts of changing their bodies. There is not always that feeling of having to transform yourself.         

Magazines such as Seventeen and Self provide positive ways of changing your look or improving your lifestyle. After I flip through those magazines, I feel a sense of motivation to enhance my looks, not feeling depressed by the fact that I may never look like Rachel McAdams. The fact is that no matter what someone does to change her body, she will never accept herself for what she is. She will always find some part of her to alter at some point in her life, and there is nothing wrong with that, and there is nothing we can do to change that.