AC 2.1 Flashcards
Name Physiological Theories
Lombroso Theory
Sheldons Theory
Brain abnormality
Neurochemical
What is Lombroso Theory
Lombroso pioneered the use of scientific methods in criminology and argued that a criminal is a separate species and also argued the fact that a born criminal could be determined by the physical shape of their head and face.
Also believed Criminality was heritable and those who committed crimes had atavistic features.
Lombroso examined the facial features of 383 dead criminals and 3,839 living ones and concluded that 40 percent of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics.
Lombroso also suggested there were other aspects of the born criminal including insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos and unemployment.
Examples of Atavistic Features
High cheekbones Large projection of jaw Low sloping forehead Large ears long arms Flat or upturned nose .
What is Sheldon’s Theory
Sheldon advanced a theory that shares with Lombroso’s idea that criminal behaviour is linked to a persons physical form.
Sheldon put forward an idea that there were three somatotypes also known as body shapes
The three Somatotypes Sheldon identified were Endomorphic, Ectomorphic and Mesomorphic
Endomorphic somatotypes are fat and soft having high body fat and low body muscle mass tend to be sociable and relaxed, ectomorphic are thin and fragile having low body fat and low muscle mass and are more introverted and restrained, mesomorphic are muscular and hard having low body fat then a endomorphic and have a higher muscle mass than the other two they are also more aggressive and adventurous.
Sheldon concluded that mesomorphic were more linked towards criminal activity due to their more aggressive nature and their body type being most fit for physical criminal tasks.
What is Brain Abnormality
Several research studies have suggested that damage to the pre frontal cortext of the brain may cause individuals to have an altered behaviour pattern.
Becoming more immature and having an increased loss of self control.
Raine et al used PET scans to study the living brains of impulsive killers, damage was found in the pre frontal cortex in the brain of crimianls.
An example of Brain abnormality is the case study of Phineas Gage, Who was a railroad worker who survived an accident in which a large iron rod went through his head destroying the left frontal lobe of the brain. from this Gages behaviour pattern had changed and friends were reporting he was not the same. Gage had become anti social and used a lot of bad language and had became a liar, the part of his brain he lost was connected to the mental and emotional functions which had changed.
