AC3.2

Question 1

Evaluate the effectiveness of Bandura’s social learning theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 1

Strengths:
• actions of model controlled allowing greater accuracy
• Cumberbatch found those unfamiliar with bobo doll 5x more likely to imitate model

Weaknesses:
• lab study (low ecological validity)
• ethical issues - exposing children to aggression understanding they’d imitate it

Question 2

Evaluate the effectiveness of Freud’s psychodynamic theories to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 2

Strengths:
• id, ego and superego relate to different parts of brain
• psychoanalysed himself, studying his own dreams and childhood memories

Weaknesses:
• very unscientific and lack objective interpretation

Question 3

Evaluate the effectiveness of Eysenck’s criminal personality type psychological theory to explain the causes of criminality

Answer 3

Strengths:
• predicted most traumatised soldies score high on neurotic and they did.
• link between P E N scores and brain processes (release of dopamine lnked to extroversion and high levels of testosterone linked to psychoticism)

Weaknesses:
• lack of reliability
• result of personality test could be biased with false answers
• personality genetic and fails to consider it may change overtime.