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AS Criminology > 2.1 - Biological theories of criminality > Flashcards

2.1 - Biological theories of criminality Flashcards

1
Q

Types of biological theories

A

Physiological, Genetic, Brain injuries/disorders, Biochemical

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2
Q

Physiological theories

A

Physical traits of the individuals (Lombroso, Sheldon)

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3
Q

Genetic theories

A

Inherited from family (Twin studies, adoption studies, Jacob’s XYY)

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4
Q

Lombroso’s Atavism theory

A

There are physical differences & traits that are different between criminals & non-criminals (examined skulls & facial features of criminals)

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5
Q

Atavistic

A

Not as evolved/earlier primitive stage of evolution where they are unable to control impulses & have reduced sensitivity

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6
Q

Physical characteristics of criminals according to Lombroso

A
  • Enormous jaw
  • High cheekbones
  • Prominent eyebrow arches
  • Handle-shaped ears
  • Flat nose (thieves)/Pointed nose (murderers)
  • Exceptionally long arms
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7
Q

Strengths of Lombroso’s theory

A
  • Credible (Butcher & Taylor - less attractive individuals are more likely to be considered criminals - supports physical features leading to criminality)
  • Scientific (first person to study crime using objective measurements to gather evidence)
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8
Q

Limitations of Lombroso’s theory

A
  • Reductionist (not everyone with atavistic features is a criminal & vice versa)
  • Ungeneralisable (lack of a control group in research - would’ve found non-criminals with same characteristics)
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9
Q

Sheldon’s somatotypes theory

A

Criminality is based off of body types (somatotypes) - advanced from Lombroso’s theory (examined 4000 men - college students or criminals - and categorised them into 3 types -> more likely to be mesomorphic if criminal)

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10
Q

3 types of somatotypes

A
  • Ectomorph (thin & fragile, lacking muscle & fat, flat chest w/narrow hips & shoulders)
  • Endomorph (rounded, soft, fat w/o muscle w/wider hips)
  • MESOMORPH (more muscles, attracted to risk of crime)
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11
Q

Strengths of Sheldon’s theory

A
  • Generalisable (larger sample size of 200 & control group of non-criminals to compare to)
  • Credible (Glueck & Glueck - sample of delinquents had 60% mesomorphs where sample of non-delinquents had 31%)
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12
Q

Limitations of Sheldon’s theory

A
  • Reductionist (Glueck & Glueck found criminality is best explained through a combination of biological, psychological & environmental factors - Sheldon claims only biological)
  • Invalid (does not take into account how people’s somatotypes change & are not fixed at birth)
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13
Q

Twin studies

A

Study into monozygotic (identical) & dizygotic (fraternal) twins & if one MZ twin possesses a criminal gene, so will the other, but if one DZ twin possesses a criminal genes, only a 50% of the other possessing it (concordance rates)

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14
Q

Strengths of twin studies

A
  • Credible (Christiansen found 35% concordance rate between MZ twins in 3586 twin pairs and only a 13% with DZ)
  • Logical (studying MZ twins, that are genetically identical, is logical to examine whether the other is also offending)
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15
Q

Limitations of twin studies

A
  • Ungeneralisable (small sample sizes in twin studies -> unrepresentative of general population)
  • Invalid (impossible to isolate & measure effect of genes from environmental effects -> correlational data not causational)
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16
Q

Adoption studies

A

Comparison of child to adoptive parents (shared environment) & birth parents (shared genes) and any similarities to birth parents indicates crime is genetic

17
Q

Strengths of adoption studies

A
  • Validity (easier to separate genetic & environmental factors due to different environment in adoptive family)
  • Credible (Mednick et al - 14000 adoptive sons, 20% criminal record similar to birth parents compared to 14% for adoptive)
18
Q

Limitations of adoption studies

A
  • Invalid (adopted children are placed in similar environments to birth family - leads to similar behaviour/age of adoption means they may already be influenced by birth parents or foster environment)
19
Q

Jacob’s XYY theory

A

Some males possess an extra Y chromosome which leads to more violent/aggressive behaviour -> more criminal

20
Q

Strength of Jacob’s theory

A

Credible
- Jacob et al - significant number of men in prisons had XYY rather than XY
- Alder et al - possible that aggressive/violent behaviour is at least partly determined by genetic factors
- Price and Whatmore - found links between XYY & property crime

21
Q

Limitations of Jacob’s theory

A

Invalid
- XYY are tall & well built - fit stereotypes of violent offenders -> more likely to be sentenced -> overrepresentation in samples drawn from prisons
- Low intelligence -> more likely to be caught -> overrepresented
- Rare syndrome - cannot explain crime

22
Q

Brain injuries & disorders

A

Crime is caused by significant injury to the brain or diseases that affect the brain

23
Q

Key case (brain injuries)

A

Phineas Gage
- Intelligent, energetic & persistent
- Had a pipe go through his frontal lobe whilst working on a railway
- After recovery, his personality was more aggressive & distant

24
Q

Disease

A

Linked with anti-social/criminal behaviour (Huntington’s, brain tumours)
Murderers had 11% reduction in activity in pre-frontal cortex (regulates emotions)
Example: Charles Whitman
- Murdered several people
- Discovered post-mortem that he had a brain tumour on the amygdala (regulates aggression & impulses) - also associated with fearlessness

25
Q

Strengths of brain injuries/disorders

A

Scientific (correlations between abnormal EEG readings & psychopathic criminality)

26
Q

Limitations of brain injuries/disorders

A

Unreliable (rare -> original personality more important in whether they engage in crime)
Invalid (unclear that abnormal brainwave activity causes criminality -> some psychopaths have normal EEG patterns)

27
Q

Biochemical

A

Crime is caused by less/more of certain hormones

28
Q

Serotonin

A

Linked to mood & impulsiveness (regulates blood sugar) - lower levels of serotonin linked with agression (Moir and Jessel)

29
Q

Dopamine

A

Pleasure & rewarding feeling & desire to repeat behaviours - high levels of dopamine increases aggressive behaviour (Buitelaar)

30
Q

Testosterone

A

Male sex hormone - higher levels associated with violence & aggression (M&F)

AS Criminology (10 decks)

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