adoption studies

Question 1

what is this theory

Answer 1

genetic
biological

Question 2

what does this study do

Answer 2

adopted children are compared to their biological and adopted parents to see if biology or environment have more influence

Question 3

what was hutchings and mednicks AIM

Answer 3

investigate whether children inherit criminality from biological or adopted parents

Question 4

what was hutchings and mednicks PROCEDURE

Answer 4

• studied 14000 adopted children in denmark
• they compared adoptees with criminal records to adoptees without criminal records
• found high number of boys with criminal convictions had biological parents with crimes convictions

Question 5

what was hutchings and mednicks FINDINGS

Answer 5

-sons where more likely to have a criminal record if a birth parent (father) also had a record (20% probability rate)
- compared to only 14.7% had criminal records if their adoptive parents did

Question 6

what was hutchings and mednicks CONCLUSION

Answer 6

this suggests a link between aggression and genetics

Question 7

what did mednicks et FIND

Answer 7

• no relationship between the number of criminal convictions of adoptive parents and their adoptive children
• did find a relationship between number of criminal convictions of biological parents and their offspring

Question 8

STRENGTH: how can twin studies be a strength for this method, link to GRAVE

Answer 8

adoption study’s overcame the problem faced by twin studies:biological twins are brought up in same household, separates nature and nurture
makes it valid: clearly see which side causes criminality

Question 9

STRENGTH: how is the research design being logical and strength

Answer 9

allows us to see the relative importance of nature v nurture without question as they are separate

Question 10

STRENGTH: how can hutchings and mednicks be a strength, link to GRAVE

Answer 10

they used a large sample over 14000 adopted children
findings from the study support genetic explanations 20% probability that if a son had a criminal record a birth parent would
generalisable:

Question 11

WEAKNESSES: how many environmental factors impact the theory, link to GRAVE

Answer 11

many children aren’t adopted immediately from birth - average adoption age is 3 years and 3 months, children may also be placed in environments similar of their birth parent - same class, ethnicity etc
issues with validity: can’t tell if it’s nature or nurture - doesn’t measure what we are trying to measure

Question 12

WEAKNESS: can you adopt with a criminal record

Answer 12

yes - non serious/medium offences only serious offences (murder, sexual assault etc) rule you out
you can’t therefore be certain whether it’s the genes or environment causing crime

Question 13

WEAKNESS: how can hutchings and mednicks study be criticised, link to GRAVE

Answer 13

only males in denmark, can’t apply to general population
issues with generalisability