2.1 (psychiological theories)✅ Flashcards
what is Lombroso’s theory?
‘Father of modern criminology’
• suggests criminals are separate species between modern and primitive humans which primitive sub species
• criminals lack evolutionary development, unable to conform to rules
what was Lombroso’s research?
Examiner facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones and concluded 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic features
what are atavistic features?
- large/forward projection of the jaw
- high cheek bones
- flattened or upturned nose
- low sloping forehead
- long arms relative to lower limbs
- large ears
- extra toes, fingers and nipples
what did he believe crime people would commit by looking at them?
- Blood shot eyes/ curly hair= murder
- Thick lips/ protruding ears= sex offences
- flattened nose= thief
- thin and reedy= fraud
what does he also believe criminals have other than features?
- insensitivity to pain
- criminal slang
- tattoos
- unemployment
who is Lombroso?
Italian psychiatrist and military doctor developed theories about criminals.
He pioneered the use of scientific methods in criminology
what did he believe about the physical shape of the head and face determined?
Born criminal
what did he believe about criminality?
Heritable
what were the atavistic features?
A throwback or biological characteristics from an earlier stage of human development that manifested the tendency to commit crimes
what is the research from the China University?
Suggests facials features can give a criminal away
- 1856 Chinese men, half with convictions were entered in AI
- findings: 6% of innocent, 83% of criminals were criminals
- this increases validity for Lombroso and identifies criminals to the police however can lead to wrongful convictions
what is the strengths for Lombroso’s theory?
- offender profiling to identify criminals based on features
- supporting studies: Lombroso (40%) and Chinese research (83%) correctly identified criminals as well Goring, found evidence for lower intelligence in convicts suggesting a lack of development
what is the limitations for Lombroso?
- lead to stereotyping of criminals and self fulfilling prophecy- ethical impact on society
- unrepresentative and ungeneralisable as only based on Italian criminals
- only a partial explanation for criminality not everyone with Avistic feature are criminals and criminals not with these features
- racism as some features are seen on ethnicities- supporting the research is limited
what is Sheldon’s theory?
Somatotypes theory
- believes that criminality was linked to our physiology- physical form
- analysed 4000 bodies from various angles
- there are 3 fundamental body types
what are the 3 body types?
1) Ectomorphic
2) Endomorphic
3) Mesomorphic
what is ectomorphic?
thin and fragile
- these are introverts and restrained
- emotionally restrained and thoughtful
what is endomorphic?
Fat and soft
- these tend to be sociable and relaxed
what is mesomorphic?
Muscular and hard
- these are aggressive, adventurous and domineering
what is Sheldon’s research?
- P’s looked at photographs of college students and delinquents
- asked the p’s to rate the photos on a scale of 1-7 on how mesomorphic they are
findings:
- delinquents had a higher rating than college students
- on average delinquents were rated 4.6 and student 3.8
what is 3 strengths of SHELDON’s research?
• supported by Sheldon’s research
- showing that mesomorphic bodies were criminal
- large sample as well as use of a control group of non offenders to allow comparison (200 p’s)
• starting point for profiling criminals and narrowing down suspects
• association between body shapes and criminality has been found in a number of studies
- Putuain 2002
- Glueck and Glueck- 60% of delinquents were mesomorphic/ 30% of non-delinquents were mesomorphic
what is 5 limitations of SHELDON’S research?
1) methodological issues with rating scale
- rating of mesomorphic are subjective, different p’s may view ratings different
2) doesn’t explain why some criminals are ecto/endomorphic
- other factors may play a role in criminality
3) could lead to stereotyping by the police/criminal justice system
- this could lead to labelling of mesomorphic as criminals
- self fulfilling prophecy as they act criminal
4) body shape change and are not consistent
- Sheldon’s theory fails to take this into account
5) too simplistic (more than 3 types/other factors involved)
who is Phineas Gage?
- 1948 train worker
- inch and a half wide rod
- iron rod sparked and went through his chin to eye
- arms burnt
- personality changed
- frontal lobe processes personality
what are the Neural Explanations of Criminality?
• PFC - Raine (1994)
• Serotonin
what does RAINE study?
• used PET scans to study the brains of murderers and found they had less brain activity on the grey matter of the PFC
• the PFC is responsible for decision making, logic, impulse control
• PFC= Pre Frontal Cortex
• this could explain impulse behaviour as they are not thinking rationally or logically
how does SEROTONIN affect criminality?
• neurotransmitter that travels between neurons
• has an influence on emotions and mood stability
• low levels of serotonin have been linked higher levels of aggression
• excessive exposure in the womb can lead to desensitisation to its effects later in life
• this could explain violent crime due to higher aggression and also unpredictable behaviour
