Is abusive behavior inherent or developed?

Psychology has long highlighted the strong impact of environment on the behavioral response of people, especially children. Babies are heavily dependent on their parents or caretakers. Thus, their actions significantly affect the psychological and social development of the child, extending as far as adulthood and when they become parents later on.

Studies have shown that negative actions such as (but not limited to) ignoring, rejecting, isolating, terrorizing, and verbally abusing a child have severe and...

Psychology has long highlighted the strong impact of environment on the behavioral response of people, especially children. Babies are heavily dependent on their parents or caretakers. Thus, their actions significantly affect the psychological and social development of the child, extending as far as adulthood and when they become parents later on.

Studies have shown that negative actions such as (but not limited to) ignoring, rejecting, isolating, terrorizing, and verbally abusing a child have severe and long-lasting effects on them. These children often grow up feeling that they are inferior and lacking in some way. They could even end up doing the same to their own children when they become parents. This supports that behavior is influenced heavily (though not determined) by the environment in which a person grows up in and is developed.

Behavioral epigenetics sort of backs this up with more tangible evidence. A study involving genetically identical twins was conducted. They were observed as they aged and found to have epigenetic variations later on. This is due to the fact that even though identical twins start out as genetically identical they go through life in different ways and experience different things. These caused epigenetic changes (differences in expression of genes) in response to their experiences and, in turn, affected various aspects of their being (physical, behavioral, etc). Another study involved the mothering styles of rats and induced changes in their offspring. Mice that were well nurtured were found to be "less anxious" than ones that were neglected.

The same study demonstrated effects of introducing alcohol to male mice prior to mating. Offspring of these males were found to be more "aggressive, take more risks, and display more anxiety-like behavior." This, on the other hand, may support the idea that there may be influences on an offspring's behavior genetically before they are even born, thus indicating that behavior may be partly inherent (at least to rats).