Biological Explanations: Atavistic Form

Question 1

whag is atavism

Answer 1

relating to or characterised by reverting back to something old or ancient

Question 2

who proposed atavsitic form

Answer 2

lombroso in the 1870s

Question 3

what does atavistic form suggest

Answer 3

• people are born with a criminal personality that is innate and linked to a more primitve ancestor

Question 4

what are the criminal charcteristics

Answer 4

• sloping brow
• pronounced jaw
• high cheeckbones
  Llarge ears

Question 5

outline how the atavistic form can explain offending behaviour (3 marks)

Answer 5

• historical approach suggesting criminals are pre evolutionary and you can tell a criminal by the way they look
• it suggests people who have more primtive features such as prominent jaw are more likely to be criminals as they have a criminal personality that is innate
• therefore, cant integrate into society

Question 6

give two strengths of the atavistic form

Answer 6

• “father of modern criminology” - shifted the emphasis in crime research towards a more scientific approach
• suggests crime has a biological cause meaning it is genetically determined so interventions can be put into place

Question 7

give 2 limitations of the atavistic form

Answer 7

• scientific racism - many features are likely to be found among ppl with african descent
• discrediting evidence - goring. compared 3000 offenders and found no evidence of facial features
• only correlational

Question 8

give a PEELH for the atavistic form explanation

strength

Answer 8

• P - crime has a biologiucal cause, allowing for early intervation
• Eg - if crime has a genetic bases, people with atavistic features could be identified early, enabling targeted interventions such as therapy
• Ex - could help prevent crime by addressing risk factors
• L - supports proactice crime prevention rather than reactive punishment
• H - determinsitic

Question 9

give a PEELH for the atavistic form explanation

limitation

Answer 9

• P - lacks scientifiuc supprt
• Eg - goring. compared 3000 offenders with control group and found no significant differences in facial features
• Ex - contradicts lombrosos theory, suggesting criminality is not biologically pre determined
• L - weakens the credibility of the explanation
• H - contributed to the development of offender profiling