atavistic form

Question 1

Who proposed the atavistic form?

Answer 1

Lombroso

Question 2

What is the atavistic form theory?

Answer 2

Criminals are genetic throwbacks - biological sub species

Moved criminology into scientific realm - laid foundation for profiling

Question 3

How did Lombroso see criminal behaviour?

Answer 3

Natural tendency rooted in genes

Offenders lack evolutionary development - impossible to adjust to civilised society

Question 4

What are atavistic characteristics?

Answer 4

Criminals identified by physiological markers

Features of face and head

Question 5

What are some atavistic characteristics?

Answer 5

Narrow sloping brow
Strong jaw and high cheekbones
Facial asymmetry
Dark skin

Question 6

How did certain characteristics represent certain crimes?

Answer 6

Murderers - bloodshot eyes, curly hair

Sexual deviants - fleshy lips, projecting ears

Question 7

Describe Lombroso’s research

Answer 7

Examined features of living and dead Italian criminals
383 skulls, 3839 living people
40% criminal acts not accounted for by atavistic characteristics but by people who possess them

Question 8

Evaluation - contribution to criminology

Answer 8

Father of modern criminology

Shifts research away from moralistic to scientific

Question 9

Evaluation - scientific racism

Answer 9

Characteristics of African descent

Atavistics - uncivilised savages - lends support to eugenics

Question 10

Evaluation - contradictory evidence

Answer 10

Goring - compared 3000 criminals and 3000 non criminals

No evidence of unusual facial characteristics

Question 11

Evaluation - poor control

Answer 11

Did not compare with non criminals

Failed to account for other variables - many had suffered psychological disorders

Question 12

Evaluation - causation is an issue

Answer 12

Atavistic characteristics are not a cause

Physical differences the result of poverty or diet not development