26.10.23 Forensic Psychology - Psychological Explanations: Eysenck's Theory

Question 1

What is Eysenck’s theory?

Answer 1

Behaviour can be represented along THREE DIMENSIONS

Question 2

What are these three dimensions?

Answer 2

• INTROVERSION - EXTROVERSION
• NEUROTICISM - STABILITY
• PSYCHOTISIM - SOCIABILITY

Question 3

What did Eysenck believes happens?

Answer 3

• Three dimensions COMBINE
• BIOLOGICAL basis for behaviour

Question 4

What do extraverts have?

Answer 4

UNDERACTIVE nervous system

Question 5

What two things do extraverts seek?

Answer 5

EXCITEMENT and STIMULATION

Question 6

What do extraverts engage in?

Answer 6

RISK TAKING behaviours

Question 7

Do extraverts learn from their mistakes?

Answer 7

No

Question 8

What do neurotic individuals have?

Answer 8

HIGH level of REACTIVITY in SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

Question 9

What does this mean?

Answer 9

Respond QUICKLY to situations of THREAT

Question 10

Give three traits of neurotic individuals

Answer 10

Nervous, jumpy and overanxious

Question 11

What does the general instability of neurotic individuals mean?

Answer 11

Behaviour often difficult to PREDICT

Question 12

What hormone do psychotic individuals have a higher level of?

Answer 12

Testosterone

Question 13

Give two traits of psychotic individuals

Answer 13

UNEMOTIONAL and prone to AGGRESSION

Question 14

What is the criminal personality?

Answer 14

Combination of all THREE dimensions

Question 15

What are neurotics?

Answer 15

UNSTABLE and prone to OVERREACTING to situations of THREAT

Question 16

What do extraverts seek more of?

Answer 16

AROUSAL and so engage in DANGEROUS activities

Question 17

What are psychotics?

Answer 17

AGGRESSIVE and LACK empathy

Question 18

What is personality linked to in Eysenck’s theory?

Answer 18

OFFENDING behaviour via SOCIALISATION process

Question 19

What did Eysenck see offending behaviour as?

Answer 19

• Developmentally IMMATURE
• SELFISH and demands INSTANT
  gratification

Question 20

What are offenders?

Answer 20

IMPATIENT and cannot wait for things

Question 21

What is the process of socialisation?

Answer 21

• Children taught to become more able to
  DELAY gratification
• More SOCIALLY ORIENTATED

Question 22

What did Eysenck believe about people high in neuroticism and extraversion?

Answer 22

Nervous system DIFFICULT to CONDITION

Question 23

What happens as a result of this?

Answer 23

• LESS likely to LEARN anxiety responses to
  ANTISOCIAL impulses
• Act MORE antisocially in situations

Question 24

What did Eysenck develop to measure personality?

Answer 24

EPQ or EPI

Question 25

What does this psychologist test measure?

Answer 25

Locates respondents along E, N and P DIMENSIONS determining PERSONALITY tye

Question 26

Why was this measurement of personality important to Eysenck?

Answer 26

Allowed him to CONDUCT research relating PERSONALITY VARIABLES to other forms of behaviour such as CRIMINALITY

Question 27

What is a strength of Eysenck’s theory?

Answer 27

Evidence to SUPPORT criminal personality

Question 28

Evidence to support criminal personality

Answer 28

• Eysenck and Eysenck
• Compared 2070 prisoners’ scores on EPQ with 2422 CONTROLS
• Prisoners scored HIGHER AVERAGE scores
  than controls
• Supports PREDICTIONS with theory that
  offenders rate HIGHER across all three
  dimensions
• Identified by Eysenck

Question 29

What is a limitation of Eysenck’s theory?

Answer 29

Criminal personality may VARY according to CULTURE

Question 30

Criminal personality may vary according to culture

Answer 30

• Bartol and Holanchock
• Studied HISPANIC and AFRICAN AMERICAN offenders
• In MAXIMUM SECURITY prison in NY
• Divided into SIX groups based on OFFENDING history
• All six groups LESS extraverted than NON-OFFENDING group
• According to E’s theory, should be MORE extraverted
• Questions how FAR criminal personality can be GENERALISED to other cultures