Nature or nurture: unravelling the roots of childhood behaviour disorders

Studies on young children have identified a genetic link for some such disorders, but environmental factors also have an effectHumans have succeeded as a species in large part because of our ability to cooperate and coordinate witheach other. These skills are driven by a range of “moral emotions” such as guilt and empathy, which help us to navigate the nuance of social interactions appropriately.Those who lack moral emotions are classed as having “callous-unemotional” traits: persistent personality characteristics that make negotiating social situations difficult. The combination of callous-unemotional traits and antisocial behaviour in adolescents and adults is typically diagnosed as psychopathy.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Psychology Science Mental health Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Genetics Biology Society Medical research Source Type: news