It does seem to run in families

[TimberWolf]

Like most things it's a combination of nature & nuture.

Given that gene combination & some physical abuse as a child, you are well on the way to a psychopath.

It's either that or go into management or politics.

[northernrampage]

I've heard such claims and while they don't seem unreasonable, I understood this is more a theory than a statable fact, given that they still can't (???) decide quite how sexuality and genetics are linked.

And 2 murderers in a family could easily just be coincidence anyway.

There are differences in brain scans (in psychopaths). Think it's the frontal lobes. The horizon show mentioned had an interesting study with some neuroscientist who had looked at a load of brain scans that also included staff members, then realised one of the "psychopaths" was him. He had a trail of murderers in his family.

He said he'd had the perfect childhood that to a certain extent had negated the possible effects. But his wife said he was odd and his son said he was scary (though only the odd moment, but I suppose scary is subjective). I can't remember if it was that show or on the radio 4 broadcast he did where he said that if it was a choice between going to a party or an aunt's funeral he'd gladly go the party and he wouldn't see anything wrong in that. He seemed a nice affable guy generally.

I think you are correct though, it's hard to prove a lot of the theories. I did a psych degree. The ones I find interesting are the cases above, they seem to buck the trend. As well as those who've had horrific backgrounds and do well.

[russell]

Well my big brother Andy is super smart and so am me! That proves that genetics runs in families.

[d000hg]

There was some Horizon program on where they stated extreme personality traits do run in families.

I've heard such claims and while they don't seem unreasonable, I understood this is more a theory than a statable fact, given that they still can't (???) decide quite how sexuality and genetics are linked.

And 2 murderers in a family could easily just be coincidence anyway.

[SueEllen]

6 billion of us and they found two murders in the same family. Wow.

There was some Horizon program on where they stated extreme personality traits do run in families.

So if one person in your family is a serious criminal then others are likely to be even if you aren't that closely related or brought up in the same envirnoment.

However whether these extreme personality traits are expressed in an equally destructive way or not depends on how bad your up bringing was.

[TimberWolf]

6 billion of us and they found two murders in the same family. Wow.

How many are called Iadmitit though?

[d000hg]

BBC News - Relative of Australia killer Ivan Milat admits murder

Amazing.

Darwin must have been right. And that Greg Mendel character too.

6 billion of us and they found two murders in the same family. Wow.

[PAH]

Well they are making Wolf Creek 2 next year, probably figured he'd give them some more real life story to base it on.

Can't see the sequel topping the original, with classic lines such as "head on a stick".

A modern day Texas Chainsaw Massacre, all the more disturbing when you know it's based on real events.

The whole family should be nuked from orbit, then they'll have a tourist attraction to rival Wolfe Creek.

[Churchill]

BBC News - Relative of Australia killer Ivan Milat admits murder

Amazing.

Darwin must have been right. And that Greg Mendel character too.

Could it just be that the kid was a thug trading on family noteriety?

[russell]

BBC News - Relative of Australia killer Ivan Milat admits murder

Amazing.

Darwin must have been right. And that Greg Mendel character too.

And it other news the world IS round!

[zeitghost]

BBC News - Relative of Australia killer Ivan Milat admits murder

Amazing.

Darwin must have been right. And that Greg Mendel character too.