Violence in Adolescents, and Why it’s Common
Violence in adolescents– it is not an uncommon presence in today’s media. At such young ages, children are developing aggressive tendencies, and acting on them, despite potential consequences. The behaviors presented in these adolescents have, in past research, been attributed to two potential causes: their home environment, or a hereditary aggressive trait that has been passed down genetically; nature versus nurture, so to speak. However, there is also a third, less referenced cause of aggression in youth: their peers. Together, these three things cause aggression in youth, and in turn, violent behaviors.
When considering the concept of nature versus nurture, the first half of the idea is based around the concept of genetics, and overall human nature. Is it human nature to be aggressive, and have violent behaviors? Short answer– yes: humans can adopt aggressive traits from their parents. In Human Aggression Across the Lifespan: Genetic Propensities and Environmental Moderators, the concept is explored. While it is challenging to measure, researchers have conducted twin and adoption experiments to explore how behaviors are learned versus innate. In such studies, the researchers would separate both identical and fraternal twins at birth, and allow them to grow up separately from their parents, and from each other. Thus far, “Twin and adoption studies agree with the experimental literature on aggression, which shows that a large effect of environmental factors is evident, particularly of the nonshared variety Yet, there is also plenty of evidence, based on a variety of definitions of aggressive behavior from children to adults, for genetic propensity toward aggression.” The existence of aggression in a parent can cause aggression to fester in their progeny.
When considering the nurture side of nature versus nurture, it is undeniable that a child’s parents will have a significant impact on the person they grow to be. Their earliest likes and dislikes, the media they are exposed to, and the way that they are spoken to cause them to develop certain traits. If a child is only ever shown violent television and music with aggressive lyrics, they will grow up believing that those behaviors, actions, and ideas are normal. The same is true in contrast: only exposing a child to media that encourages friendship and positivity will cause them to believe that to be normal. A household that promotes violence will inevitably cause any children in the home to believe that those ideas are conducive to normalcy.
For example, in November of 2021, infamous school shooter, Ethan Crumbley, shot up Oxford High School– he was only seventeen years old. In a Case Study of his shooting published by the Journal of Education, Health, and Social Sciences, the research revealed that Crumbley had a tragic home life, which caused his perception of what is and is not ethically correct to be severely warped. In a Case Study of his shooting published by the Journal of Education, Health, and Social Sciences, the research revealed that Crumbley had a tragic home life, which had likely shaped his personality. In Crumbley’s family, gun violence was not taught to be a dangerous concept, with Crumbley’s parents even going so far as purchasing a gun for him to have, “referring to it as Ethan’s ‘new Christmas present’.” The environment one is surrounded by shapes their moral views, and their concept of right and wrong: if Ethan Crumbley had not been exposed to a positive perspective of gun violence in his household, his views would have never been shaped to believe it was positive.
During a person’s youth, they spend approximately eight hours a day at school, five days a week; for forty hours a week, children are primarily surrounded by people within their exact age range. During this guaranteed time spent with individuals that share a key defining trait, a child can easily be influenced to adopt similar hobbies and interests as the people they are around. The forced proximity, more often than not, causes similarities to develop between individuals.
As these similarities begin to develop, key aspects of an adolescent’s personality begin to form. During their teen years, the phrase “rebellious phase” is not unheard of. Many teenagers enter an era in which they are motivated solely on fitting in with their social groups. In an instance in which an individual’s social group is not of proper mind, they will have an impact on the morals and views that they develop. For example, consider a school shooter. Though often classified as “loners” by news outlets and classmates, it is not uncommon for a school shooter to have a social peer group, of which they share similar interests. Often, these interests include violence and aggressive behaviors. In an actual school shooting scenario, the shooter may develop ideas that their actions are okay, or even warranted, with encouragement from their peer group.
In School shootings: A Review of the Characteristics and the Psychopathology of the Perpetrators, the typical school shooter is assessed, alongside the common factors of a school shooting, and the signs that were missed. “Shooters were considered outcasts and “weird” but not all of them were ‘loners’. Their peer groups shared analogous interests in violence, making even harder the ‘reality check’ on behalf of the perpetrator.” The peers of the afflicted individual have caused their morals to be completely skewed– when morals have been so compromised by an individual’s peers, it is nearly impossible to change them, or shed light on the reality of the situation. This behavior is not innate, but instead learned by the individual, developed over a period of time and an intentional relationship.
Aggression, and in turn, violent behaviors, are caused by genetics, home environment, and social exposure: this is undeniable. One cause alone is not enough to rewire someone’s psyche. The three causes work in tandem to influence an individual’s thoughts, morals, and behaviors as they develop in their early years of life.
Citations
Human aggression across the lifespan: genetic propensities and environmental moderators
Tuvblad & Baker
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3696520/
Contributors to Antisocial Behavior in Adolescence from the Perspective of Developmental Psychology: A Case Study on a School Mass Shooting Leng & Song
https://drpress.org/ojs/index.php/EHSS/article/view/6442
(PDF) School shootings: A Review of the Characteristics and the Psychopathology of the Perpetrators PDF | On Mar 30, 2017, Alevizopoulos Giorgos published School shootings: A Review of the Characteristics and the Psychopathology of the Perpetrators
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