AC 2.1 & 3.2 Biological- Physiological Flashcards
What are the physiological theories under biological?
• Lombroso atavism
• Sheldon somatotypes
What is lombroso’s atavism?
Key idea - criminals have physical characteristics that make them more “primitive” and biologically different from non criminals
- born criminals
What is the research for lomobroso’s atavism
- his study claimed that people are born criminal : throwbacks to a primitive stage of evolution and focused on facial features, body type and tattooing
- he believed that people were criminals not through free will but because they were ‘atavistic’ and born that way
- people were ‘pre social’ and unable to control themselves, they are like savages
- criminality is heritable had ativistic or primitive features
What are atavistic features?
Physical traits such as large jaws, high cheekbones, or long arms, which lombroso claimed were signs of criminality
- ears an unusual size
- enormous jaws
- flat nose
- asymmetry of the face
- a sloping forehead
- heavy eyebrow arches
- long arms and acute eyesight
What is biological positivism?
The belief that crime is cause by biological factors rather than free will
What does primitive mean?
A lack of social refinement or moral development, leading to impulsive or violent acts
What are insane criminals described as by lombroso?
Intellectually and morally challenged or defected individuals, such as psychopaths and habitual delinquents
What are epileptic criminals described as by lombroso?
A person who commits a crime during the course of a seizure is therefore legally insane and must be committed to a psychotic hospital
Characteristics of criminal offenders
Murderers features - blood shot eyes, curly hair and ‘aquiline’ noses like the beak of an eagle
Sex offenders features - thick lips and protruding ears
Thieves - flattened noses
What is criminaloids?
Criminality caused by environmental factors rather than biology
Lomboroso’s atavism - EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
- lombroso was the first person to give criminology scientific credibility, using objective measurements to gather evidence. Previously, crime was seen as a moral or religious issue.
- there is support for the idea that less attractive criminals are more likely to be found guilty. His research showed the importance of examining clinical and historical records of criminals
- lombroso challenged the idea that criminals are evil or that they chose to be criminal. His later work took some limited account of solid and environmental factors, not just hereditary.
- lombroso’s work has been used in development of offender profiling. By arguing that offenders were not freely choosing to commit crime. Lombroso helps us to focus on how we might prevent further offending rather than simply punishing offenders.
WEAKNESSES
- Lombroso’s research did not contain a control group. Research since lombroso has failed to show a link between faced features and criminality
- lombroso argued that the physical characteristics identified were innate, but this may not have been the case. Lombroso failed to compare his findings on prisoners with a control group of non-criminals. He had done so, he may have found the same characteristics among the general population, in which case, his explanation old be invalid
- This research is socially sensitive and scientifically racist. By describing criminals as like ‘primitive savages’, lombroso equates non-western societies with criminals. This is a form of racism.
- lombroso’s theory of the born criminal is strongly deterministic
What is Sheldon’s somatotype theory?
A person’s body type influences their personality and likelihood of committing crimes
Sheldon saw criminals as physically different than non-criminals
Certain body types/ somatotypes are linked to criminal behaviour
What is an ectomorph?
Thin and introverted, less likely to be criminal
Who are thin and fine boned, were said to have a tendency toward a ‘cerebrotonic’ personality, introverted, thoughtful, inhibited, sensitive
What is an endomorph?
Round and sociable, less aggressive
Who are rounded and soft, were said to have a tendency toward a ‘viscerotonic’ personality, relaxed, comfortable, extroverted
What is a mesomorph?
Muscular and aggressive, more likely to be involved in crime
Who are square and muscular were said to have a tendency toward a ‘somotonic’ personality, active, dynamic, assertive and aggressive
Supporting research for Sheldon’s somatotype theory
- Sheldon suggested that mesomorphs are most likely to engage in crime and to be attracted by the risk-taking it involves
- their physique and assertiveness are important assets in crime
- whereas, ectomorphs are the least likely criminals
Scale of mesomorphy
- Sheldon used a correlation study - photograph of college students and delinquents to create a scale to rate criminal and delinquent behaviour
- results showed that delinquents has a higher average mesomorphy when compared to that of college student (4.6-3.8)
Sheldon’s somatotype - EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
P - Sheldon used a large sample of students
E - Sheldon conducted his research on 4000 men and also used a control group of non-offenders to compare results
E - This is a strength because a large sample size increases population validity of the sample. Having a control group is also beneficial as it means Sheldon would be able to see if there was a clear difference between criminals and non - criminals
- even though there could be issues relating to the reliability of Sheldon’s research, other researchers have found results that seem to support some parts of his initial theory. Other studies have replicated Sheldon’s findings. Gluck and Gluck found that 60% of the offenders in their study were mesomorphs
- Sheldon did find that criminal groups were more mesomorphic. The most serious delinquents in Sheldon’s sample were the ones with the most extremely mesomorphic body shape.
WEAKNESSES
P - Sheldon does not explain how ectomorphs and endomorphs could also commit crime
E - it has been found that endomorphs and ectomorphs are also likely to engage in crim with endomorphs committing cyber crimes and ectomorphs committing drug crimes
E - this is a weakness because it means that Sheldon’s theory does not provide a full account of criminal behaviour
- a person’s somatotype is not fixed. Gluck and Glueck found that criminality was best explained not by biology alone, but by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors
- P- mesomorphs may take part in criminal acts because of the way society treats them. (Labelling theory - self fulfilling prophecy)
- Sheldon doesn’t account for those endomorphs and ectomorphs who do commit crimes. Nor does he explain whether mesomorphs commit crimes other than violence
