AC 2.1 & 3.2 Biological- Brain Physiology + abnormalities Flashcards
What are the brain physiology and abnormalities theories under biological?
• tumours/trauma
• neurochemicals
What are tumours/trauma in criminology?
Damage to certain areas of the brain, particularly the frontal lobe, can lead to personality changes and impulsive behaviour
Phineas Gage
Chris Benoit
Charles Whitman
What is frontal lobe damage?
Can affect decision-making, impulse control and emotions
Who is Phineas Gage and what happened to him?
A railway worker who survived a brain injury but became aggressive and irresponsible, suggesting brain damage can influence behaviour.
Metal rod through the cheek into the brain and destroyed frontal lobe
Memory was intact, and was capable of learning new things
Who is Chris Benoit?
Professional wrestler
- Concussion
- ressembled Alzheimer’s patient
- murdered wife, son and himself
Who is Charles Whitman?
August 1, 1966
- Use knives to slay mother and wife
- Whitman had visited several uni doctors in the years before the shootings, they prescribed various medications for him
- Charles Whitman’s autopsy discovered a pea in size tumour in the brain - did this cause his dreadful actions on that final day?
Can brain damage make a criminal?
Yes
Damage or changes to the prefrontal cortex can change a persons behaviour. This area of the brain is associated with self-control.
Raine et al
Pet scans to study the living brains of killers. It was found that criminals were more likely to have damage to the prefrontal cortex.
How are brain diseases linked with criminal behaviour?
– Some brain disease diseases have been linked with criminal or antisocial behaviour
– In 1920s, epidemic of encephalitis lethargica among children were linked to destructiveness, impulsiveness, arson and abnormal sexual behaviour
– Senile dementia, huntington’s chorea and brain tumours have been linked to various forms of deviant or antisocial behaviour
Brain damage/tumours - EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
– In a few extreme cases brain injury/disease has led to changes in behaviour. Also there are correlation between EEG readings and psychopathic criminal.
– Finally, prisoners are more likely than non-prisoners to have a brain injury.
– Useful in understanding impulsive violent behaviour
WEAKNESSES
– Not all brain damage damaged people become criminals
– Doesn’t explain why some criminals have no brain injury
– Crimes caused by brain injury/disease a rare. Some psychopaths have normal EEG readings. Also prisoners likelihood of brain injury could be caused by their criminality
How are neuro chemicals linked to criminality?
Chemicals in the brain influence emotions and behaviour, possibly affecting criminal tendencies
How is serotonin linked to crime?
Low levels are linked to aggression and impulsivity
How is dopamine linked to crime?
High levels can be linked to pleasure seeking behaviours, sometimes include crime
Higher levels may increase aggression in males
What are examples of neurochemicals?
Sex hormones
Blood sugar levels
Substance abuse
Sex hormones
How are sex hormones linked to criminality?
FEMALES
– Premenstrual tension (PMT) lactation and postnatal depression all have been accepted as a partial defences to crime ranging from shoplifting into infanticide
– The hormones involved with this condition may have affected judgement, mood and self-control
MALES
– Over or under production of hormones may cause emotional disturbances and lead to criminal behaviour
– Testosterone has been linked to crime such as murder and rape
– Ellis and Coontz pointed to the natural spike of testosterone and puberty to early 20s this correlates with high crime rates at this age
How are neurotransmitters linked to criminality?
Neurotransmitters are chemicals found in the brain that help transmit messages between synapses
One of these neurotransmitters is serotonin. It has been associated with regulating mood and behaviour.
Scerbo and Raine conducted a meta analysis on 29 studies into antisocial adults and children and found low levels of serotonin associated with all of them
The idea is that low levels of serotonin is associated with higher levels of aggression
How are blood sugar levels linked to criminality?
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) can trigger aggressive reactions
– Studies show links between low blood sugar and alcohol abuse. Alcohol is linked to crimes of violence.
Scoenthaler claims that by lowering the daily sucrose intake of young offenders, he could reduce the levels of antisocial behaviour
How is substance abuse linked to criminality?
This involves both legal and illegal substances and how these older persons behaviour.
Saunders calculated the alcohol plays a rolling 1000 rest a day and 80% of family violence
Cocaine and crack closely linked with violence, whereas cannabis and harrow intent to reduce aggression
Nuerochemicals - EVALUATIONS
STRENGTHS
– Sexual hormones, blood sugar levels and substance abuse can affect mood, judgement and aggression. Testosterone levels of male offending both peak around the same age. Biochemical factors are recognised by the courts (E.G postnatal depression/breastfeeding can be used as a defence for infanticide and PMT accepted as defence for shoplifting)
– Explained how chemical imbalance is can affect aggression
– Can lead to medical treatments for aggression
WEAKNESSES
– biochemical processes made predispose some individuals to a offend but may need an environmental trigger to cause actual offending. Testosterone levels do not affect aggression in most men and young men more likely to be verbally aggressive rather than physically
– Many other factors influence crime, not just brain chemicals
– Doesn’t explain why crime rates vary between cultures and society
