TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Evidence of Genetic and Environmental Effects On the Development of Low Self-Control JO - Criminal justice and behavior A1 - Beaver, Kevin M. A1 - Ratchford, Marie A1 - Ferguson, Christopher J. SP - 1158 EP - 1172 VL - 36 IS - 11 N2 - A body of research has revealed that low self-control is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of antisocial behaviors. As a result, there is great interest in identifying the factors that cause variation in levels of self-control. Much of this work has centered on identifying the effects that social factors, such as parental socialization, have on self-control. More recently, however, there has been research revealing that levels of self-control are scripted by genetic factors as well as environmental factors. The current study examines whether a polymorphism (5HTTLPR) in the serotonin transporter gene and exposure to delinquent peers are associated with levels of self-control. Analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicates that the 5HTTLPR polymorphism interacted with a measure of delinquent peer affiliation to predict variation in self-control during adolescence and adulthood. Implications for theories of crime causation are discussed.
LA - SN - 0093-8548 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0093854809342859 ID - ref1 ER -