bbc Horizon: Why do people kill

[coffee]

Documentary. Michael Mosley delves into the BBC archives to chart scientists' progress as they probed the mind of the murderer to try to understand why people kill.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... izon-guide

[thundril]

Fascinating. Thanks for the link, coffee.

[Compassionist]

Thank you for sharing the link. It is a good documentary. I have said before that we are ongoing products of causality where genes, environments, nutrients and experiences produce choices produced by interacting variables.

[coffee]

I am glad you find it interesting, because I am too.

[Dave B]

Very interesting. I remember Dr Fallon (who discovered tbe problem with his own genetics) on the radio. I was interested to hear that it was considered only a potential and that adequate early nurture could reduce that potential.

Having always been of the camp that it is the combination, the ratio, of nature and nurture that mostly matters this confirmed my feelings. Even in the psychology module in college in 2004 nature and nurture were talked of as chalk and cheese, arguing that one or the other had to be to blame.

Yet, in the same module, much was made of the effects of the social and physical environment on the human psyche. But even Indian slum boys can grow to do great things.

It would be controvertial but interesting to check the hormone levels of terrorists.

[coffee]

But even Indian slum boys can grow to do great things.

Hi Dave B,
May be the cause of violence is the under sustain stress of threat of violent and emotion abuse that cause chemical imbalance to the brain that cause it to malfunction. So if someone live in the slum but can still function well so long as he/she is not under sustain stress of violence and emotion abuse, I guess.

[Dave B]

But even Indian slum boys can grow to do great things.

Hi Dave B,
May be the cause of violence is the under sustain stress of threat of violent and emotion abuse that cause chemical imbalance to the brain that cause it to malfunction. So if someone live in the slum but can still function well so long as he/she is not under sustain stress of violence and emotion abuse, I guess.

Not sure, Coffee, my psychology module was general and too short. However I am in the camp that it is our genes that determine our general nature and our envirinment that activate those genes or otherwise.

There is, as shown in the prog, a spectrum, any combination you like. Even tge potential genius cannot thrive without opportunity. Maybe that lack of opportunity clashes so strongly with the internal drive and the "evil genius" appears!

Many years ago my sister worked at a sort of special school, not criminals but kids who were disruptive. They seemed to fall into two types, Rose said, the naturally "thick" to really intelligent lids. Rose reckoned that both groups suffered from the same basic problems; frustration and the lack of appropriate stimulus and opportunity. The bright kids calmed down when mentally stretched and talked to. The others needed more personal attention (which they did not get) to find their more narrow personal path.

[coffee]

That is interesting Dave B.