AC2.1 - Biological theories

Question 1

What are the 4 physiological theories?

Answer 1

• Lombroso
• Sheldon - Atlas of men
• Brain abnormalities
• Neurochemicals

Question 2

What did Lombroso state that criminals are?

Answer 2

Criminals are people who were born in the primitive stage of their development

Question 3

What did Lombroso state that criminals can be determined by?

Answer 3

The shape of their head and their face

Question 4

What research did Lombroso carry out?

Answer 4

Examined the facial and cranial features of 383 dead and 3839 criminals

Question 5

What did Lombroso conclude?

Answer 5

40% of criminal acts can be accounted through atavistic features

Question 6

What did Sheldon: Atlas of men 1954 look into?

Answer 6

The correlation between body types and personality types

Question 7

What was Sheldon 1954 research?

Answer 7

The front, side and back views of 4000 unclothed men

Question 8

What were the three body types that Sheldon concluded?

Answer 8

• Endomorphic
• Ectomorphic
• Mesomorphic

Question 9

What is meant by endomorphic?

Answer 9

Fat and soft with a sociable and relaxed personality

Question 10

What is meant by ectomorphic?

Answer 10

Thin and fragile with an introverted and restrained personality

Question 11

What is meant by mesomorphic?

Answer 11

Muscular with an aggressive and adventurous personality

Question 12

What was Sheldon’s research method?

Answer 12

• Submitted a scale of 1 (low) - 7 (high in mesomorph)

- College students and delinquents

Question 13

What was the score of college students and delinquents in Sheldon 1954 study?

Answer 13

College students (3.8)
Delinquents (4.6)

Question 14

What did Sheldon find from body types to criminals?

Answer 14

Criminals are most likely to have mesomorphic as their physique is important in risk-taking to commit the crime.

Question 15

State 2 strengths into Lombroso’s research.

Answer 15

1. First person to study criminology scientifically which offered a biological approach to criminality
2. Shows the importance of historical and clinical information

Question 16

State 2 limitations into Lombroso’s research.

Answer 16

1. Didn’t compare to a control group of non-criminals

2. Equates criminals with non-western people (prejudice)

Question 17

State 2 strengths into Sheldon’s research.

Answer 17

• Large sample size

- Most serious delinquents had mesomorphic somatypes which supported his findings

Question 18

State 2 limitations into Sheldon’s research.

Answer 18

• Mesomorphs are more likely to be stereotyped (internalisation)
• Not all criminals have the same body type (doesn’t look at cause and effect)

Question 19

Why are brain abnormalities a reason behind criminality - pre-frontal cortex?

Answer 19

Damage to the pre-frontal cortex leads to a loss in self-control and the inability to modify behaviour if damaged

Question 20

Who conducted research into brain abnormalities?

Answer 20

Raine et al 1994

Question 21

Which case study supports brain abnormalities?

Answer 21

Phineas Gage

Question 22

What did Raine et al 1994 research into brain abnormalities?

Answer 22

Used PET scans to study the brains of impulsive killers which showed damage to the pre-frontal cortex

Question 23

What other research supports brain abnormalities?

Answer 23

Abnormal EEG readings is seen to be somewhat correlated with psychopathy

Question 24

What 2 things can affect the brains neurochemicals?

Answer 24

• Diet

- Serotonin

Question 25

What is serotonin?

Answer 25

It regulates the signals between neurons and controls a persons mood

Question 26

Explain the study of Williams: Roid rage

Answer 26

He beat a man to death after taking 2000x the recommended dose of steroids

Question 27

How does blood sugar link to criminality?

Answer 27

Hypoglycaemia is linked to aggression

Question 28

State 2 limitations into neurochemicals as a link to criminality.

Answer 28

1. Biochemical processes may need an environmental trigger too
2. Some studies find testosterone not linked to aggression