April 2, 2025, 08:30-09:15

Location: Litteraturhuset i Bergen, Olav H. Hauge Hall – Bergen

Once, “Natural Born Killers” was just a movie title. Now, the term is also used in research on genetic causes of antisocial behavior. Today, it is widely believed that aggression results from a complex interplay between genes and environment. At the same time, the idea of “antisocial phenotypes” is gaining more attention. After the discovery that variants of the MAOA gene are linked to various behavioral changes, the term “warrior or crime gene” has been widely discussed in both scientific articles and popular culture. Studies of biological factors behind aggression have long roots. With new and better methods for reading and systematizing DNA, the fields of behavioral genetics and criminology have experienced significant changes. However, genetic research on antisocial behavior and crime raises difficult ethical questions – especially if this research is used to legitimize political ideas.

Listen to Mareile Kaufmann, professor of criminology at the University of Oslo, talk about research on antisocial behavior and genetics at Litteraturhuset i Bergen.