Bio Explanations

Question 1

What does bio explanations include?

Answer 1

• Sheldon
• Lombroso
• Genes
• Neuro
• Twin/family/adoption studies

Question 2

Describe Lombroso’s Theory

Answer 2

• Believed criminality was inherited and inevitable
• Result of a ‘throwback gene’ to primates
• Shared similar characteristics e.g. large nose, large ears, large jaw, long limbs
• His study of 400 men supported his theory
• No other study has been able to replicate his results and none of given further support
• Didn’t study women
• Unlikely criminality is due to only genes

Question 3

Describe Sheldon’s Theory

Answer 3

• Ignored all other factors e..g social factors
• Body type influenced type of criminality
• Ectomorph = burglary, robbery
• Endomorph = fraud
• Mesomorph = violent crimes

Question 4

Describe family studies

Answer 4

• Lots of studies show criminal parents raise criminal children
• May not be due to bio; could be social reasons e.g. social learning theory
• Difficult to tell what results mean

Question 5

Describe twin studies

Answer 5

• Comparing DZ with MZ twins shows how heritable something is (e.g. if both MZ twins are criminal it suggests it is heritable)
• Doesn’t definitively mean it is heritable, could be due to environmental factors

Question 6

Describe adoption studies

Answer 6

• Able to look at heritability without environment factors affecting results
• Looks at criminal parents, see if adopted child is also criminal (or vice versa)

Question 7

Describe neuro theories

Answer 7

• EEG show criminals have more brain activity
• Head injuries are more common in general population compared to general population
• Some studies show criminals have less functioning in prefrontal cortex
• Offenders often have memory/attention impairments, personality changes, apathetic qualities

Question 8

Evaluate bio/neuro explanations

Answer 8

• Finding a bio explanation could lead to treatment; focus on those vulnerable or past offenders
• Lots of evidence to suggest criminal is more due to social and psych explanations
• Pre-injury - post-injury studies often use participants who have been through intensive therapy; people who have had severe head injuries; may mean results are extreme
• Studies tend to focus on working class and prison population; not much explanation on others
• Cause and effect; do head injuries cause criminality or are they a result of criminality?