ac 2.1 + 3.2 - physiological theories (bio) Flashcards
what are the physiological theories?
Lombroso and Sheldon
Lombroso’s theory
he believed that people were born criminal and can be identified based on their physical characteristics. he stated that criminals are a different species who are allocated criminality at birth and they can’t be cured.
what is atavism?
Lombroso believed that criminals were atavistic - throwbacks to an earlier, primatial stage of evolution. Lombroso concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics
what are the physical characteristics of a criminal according to Lombroso?
- large jaw
- large ears
- high arched eyebrows
- longer arm span then height
- tattoos
what psychological characteristics did Lombroso say criminals possessed?
- irresistible craving for pain
- insensitivity to pain
- lack of empathy
- love or orgies
what research did Lombroso do to formulate his theory?
he examined the facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones
what did Lombroso say about criminaloid was?
occasional criminals who are influenced by their environment and lack the usual atavistic features of a criminal
strengths of Lombroso’s theory
- based on detailed recordings of thousands of criminals. examined facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones. supports Lombroso’s theory as there is scientific credibility due to empirical evidence. moved discussion of criminality more into scientific research.
- support from Charles Goring. he found low-order intelligence in criminals. supports Lombroso’s theory as shows there’s some biological basis to criminality and shows it can be innate.
- support from Butcher and Taylor. they showed a link between how you look and how you’re perceived - ugly individuals are considered more guilty of committing a crime. supports the idea of atavistic features and Lombroso’s idea that physical characteristics play a part in who is more likely to commit a crime.
weaknesses of Lombroso’s theory
- no control group in his study. made detailed recordings of both dead and alive criminals but had no comparison group. therefore, Lombroso never truly established wether atavistic features were only present in the criminal population. there may be non-criminals who have these features.
- lacks credibility due to contradictions from the general and criminal populations themselves. not everyone who has atavistic features is a criminal and not very criminal has these features. theory is reductionist as there may be be other factors, e.g. environment, that influence criminality.
what is Sheldon’s theory?
he came up with the idea of a somatotype and made associations between different body types and their psychological characteristics as well as how likely they’d be to commit a crime
what is a somatotype?
the theory that there’s an association between an individuals body type and certain personality or behaviour traits
what are the characteristics of an ectomorphic body type?
- fragile and thin
- sensitive and introverted
what are the characteristics of an endomorphic body type?
- soft and round
- relaxed and extroverted
what are the characteristics of a mesomorphic body type?
- muscular and triangular
- aggressive and assertive
which somatotype is most associated with crime and why?
mesomorphs - heir muscular appearance can be seen as intimidating, which makes them more likely to commit a crime, their appearance and attributes makes them more likely to be exposed to and involved in criminality from a young age.they are associated with more aggressive crimes
how did Sheldon come up with this theory?
he used photographs of college students and delinquents who were then rated on a scale of 1-7 in terms of their resemblance to mesomorphy. the results showed that delinquents had a higher average mesomorphy rating than the college students (4.6 vs 3.8)
strengths of Sheldon’s theory
- had a control group. gathered ratings of both college students and delinquents in terms of their resemblance to the mesomorphic body and the delinquents had an overall higher rating (4.6 vs 3.8) therefore, research on the link between a mesomorphic build and criminality is more credible as it can be proven through comparison to the control group.
- Sheldon’s research as thorough and used a large sample size. studied 4000 scantily clothed men from different angles. increased validity on results for the link between different somatotypes and criminality due to an in depth observation being carried out.
- found a connection between mesomorphy and delinquency. most serious delinquents in Sheldon’s sample had more mesomorphic body types. shows a relationship between body shape and criminality, adding depth to his theory.
weaknesses of Sheldon’s theory
- research shows a relationship between body shape and behaviour but doesn’t show causation. it could be the case that engaging in criminal activity leads to the development of a mesomorphic build rather than it being the other way around. limits validity and the ability to draw firm conclusions on the influence of body shape on behaviour.
- a somatotype is not fixed and body shape can change overtime. difficult to establish cause and effect for body types and criminal behaviour. undermines credibility of theory as individuals could move between somatotypes throughout life.
- people with a mesomorphic build may be subject to labelling - e.g. ‘trouble maker’, being seen as more aggressive. this could result in a self-fulfilling prophecy. therefore, criminality may be a result of stereotypes surrounding different builds rather than the body type in itself.
