Genes as Blueprints, Not Destiny

Think of your DNA as a recipe. It provides the instructions for building you, but it doesn’t decide how the final dish will taste. Just like adding spices or cooking at different temperatures changes a meal, life experiences can alter how genes are expressed.

In criminal psychology, researchers have found that certain genetic variations may increase the likelihood of aggressive or impulsive behavior. For example, studies on the MAOA gene (sometimes nicknamed the “warrior gene”) suggest that people with a particular variant may be more prone to aggression, especially if they also grew up in abusive environments.