Abstract
Significant Developments in the domains of psychiatry, biology, genetics and neuroscience have
demonstrated that a wide range of human behaviors are influenced by variables other than social
influences. There is still a significant gap between theories that offer only sociological and biological
explanations for criminal behavior in the field of criminology because no mainstream criminological
theory has taken these biological aspects into account. The social learning thoery, which contends that
criminal behavior is acquired through peer associations and the biosocial perspective in criminology,
which employs a variety of biological and social factors to explain the commission of criminal behavior
are two exceptions to the “nature vs. Nurture”. It has become harder for any theory to completely
dismiss the influence of biology or sociology given the mounting or evidence that both have a role in
criminal behavior.
Synthesis
Does criminal behavior result from human nature or nurture? This has been a long source of
debate among criminologists and many thoerists and researchers are still baffled by it. “Nature vs.
Nurture” theoretical dichotomy has a few exceptions in criminology despite the emergence of numerous
noteworthy theories. Any theory that completely ignores the influence of either biology or sociology is
finding it increasingly difficult to reconcile the mounting evidence that links both social and biological
risk factors to criminal behavior. Although biosocial models have demonstrated a great deal of success in
forecasting criminal behavior, these results have not yet been incorporated into any “mainstream”
criminology theories (Barnes et al ., 2016, Barnes et el., 2014). Biosocial criminology suggests that
biology is more of a susceptibility that may be enhanced or negated depending on various
environmental factors, as opposed to the idea that one’s biology is a direct determinant of criminal
behavior (Belsku and Pluss, 2009, DeLisi and Vaughn, 2015, 2015, DiLalla and Bersted, 2015, Ishikawa
and Raine , 2002, Vaughn et al., 2009). Since no mainstream criminological thoery has been able to fully
explain the variance of criminal behavior, biosocial research suggests that our understanding of criminal
behavior will increase when biological influences are combined with environmental factors. These
findings support the idea that by incorporating biological concepts into socially based mainstream
criminological theories, our understanding of criminal behavior will increase.
Critical Evaluation
It is extremely advantageous for our field that biological factors are directly incorporated into
accepted theories or criminology. By reviewing the evidence for biological risk factors for criminality and
putting forth a framework for the propositional integration of biological and genetic characteristics into
popular sociologically based model of criminal behavior, this article seeks to direct the process of such
integration. This article also illustrates how to incorporate both nature and nurture into a single theory
by integrating social learning theory and the biosocial perspective into a more accurate and modern
model of criminal behavior.
