Biological Explanations: Atavistic Form Flashcards
What did Lombroso propose in his book L’Huomo Delinquente?
That criminals were ‘genetic throwbacks’ - a primitive sub - species biologically different from non - criminals
What is the atavistic form?
Lombroso’s theory that criminals have primitive features making them less evolved than non - criminals
How did Lombroso view criminal behaviour?
As a natural tendency rooted in genetics, making criminals unable to adapt to civilized society
How is Lombroso’s theory viewed today?
As speculative and naive, but influential in moving criminology towards a scientific approach
How did Lombroso’s work influence modern criminology?
It laid the foundation for offender profiling techniques
What did Lombroso argue about criminals’ physical appearance?
Criminals have biologically determined ‘atavistic characteristics’ that make them physically different from non - criminals
What are atavistic characteristics?
Primitive physical traits linked to criminality, mainly affecting the face and head
What are some cranial features of the atavistic form?
1/ A narrow sloping brow
2/ Strong prominent jaw
3/ High cheekbones
4/ Facial asymmetry
What other physical markers did Lombroso associate with criminals?
What features did Lombroso associate with murderers?
What features did Lombroso link to sexual deviants?
Criminals:
1/ Dark skin
2/ Extra toes
3/ Fingers
4/ Nipples
Murderers:
1/ Bloodshot eyes
2/ Curly hair
3/ long ears
Sexual deviants:
1/ Glinting eyes
2/ Swollen lips
3/ Projecting ears
Fraudsters:
1/ Thin ‘reedy’ lips
Besides physical traits, what other characteristics did Lombroso suggest criminals had?
1/ Insensitivity to pain
2/ Use of criminal slang
3/ Tattoos
4/ Unemployment
How did Lombroso study criminality?
By examining the facial and cranial features of italian convicts, both living and dead
What did Lombroso propose about atavistic characteristics?
They are physical anomalies that indicate a biological predisposition to criminality
How many criminals did Lombroso study?
He examined 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones
What percentage of criminal acts did Lombroso attribute to atavistic characteristics?
40% of criminal acts
What is a limitation of the atavistic form? (poor control)
> Lombroso’s methods of investigation were poorly controlled.
There was a failure to control important variables within his research.
His investigation did not have a non - offender control group to compare to his offender sample
The use of a control group would have controlled more confounding variables
What is a strength of the atavistic form? (contributed to the criminology)
> Lombroso has been credited for shifting the emphasis in crime research away from a moral viewpoint towards a more scientific and credible viewpoint
> Additionally, in describing how particular types of people are likely to commit certain types of crimes, Lombroso’s theory, in many ways were the beginning of criminal profiling.
> In this way, Lombroso has made major contributions to the science of criminology
What is a limitation of the atavistic form? (racist undertones within Lombroso’s work)
> Several critics have identified racist undertones within Lombroso’s work
> Many features identified as criminal and atavistic, such as curly hair and dark skin, which are features found mostly with people of African descent
> Similarly, his description of the atavistic being as “uncivilised, primitive, savage” would lend support to many of the eugenic philosophers of the time
> Whether intentional or not is up for debate, but the controversial aspects of his research continues to overshadow criminology
What is a limitation of the atavistic form? (contradictory evidence + Goring)
> Goring set out to establish whether any physical or mental abnormalities were present among criminals
> After conducting a comparison between 3000 criminals and 3000 non - criminals, he concluded there was no evidence that offenders are a distinct group unusual facial and cranial characteristics, did however suggest people who commit crimes have lower than average intelligence
> Although, the point people about intelligence provides limited support to Lombroso’s argument that criminals are ‘sub - species’, it questions the key aspect of his theory that criminals are different in terms of appearance
