An Evolutionary Approach to Understanding Violent Antisocial Behavior: Diagnostic Implications for a Dual-Process Etiology

ABSTRACT

This article proposes an evolutionary theory for understanding the etiology of violent antisocial behavior. From this approach, aggressive behavior is understood as an evolutionary adaptation that has provided a selective advantage for members of the human species that demonstrated this trait. Similarly, aggression control is also viewed as an adaptive trait. Antisocial behavior is described as aggressive behavior that is excessive or uncontrolled and results from either of two pathways. Instrumental antisocial behavior may arise from genetic contributions to aggressive personality traits whereas reactive antisocial behavior may result from damage or deficiencies in a biological “impulse control devise.” Supporting evidence from behavioral genetic and other genetic research is presented and discussed in the context of gene-environment interaction. Diagnostic implications of this approach suggest that risk prediction techniques that rely specifically on antisocial personality traits may miss a subgroup of potentially high-risk individuals who do not have antisocial personalities but who do have deficiencies in the impulse control device. Diagnostic recommendations for antisocial subgroups are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Evolution
• antisocial personality
• aggressive behavior
• violence
• development
• brain damage