Biological Explanations - Atavistic Form

Question 1

What did Lombroso think of criminals?

Answer 1

• though of them as ‘separate species of mankind’

- throwbacks to an earlier species

Question 2

define atavistic

Answer 2

tendency to revert to an ancestral type

Question 3

Name facial characteristics of criminals (suggested by Lombroso)

Answer 3

• asymmetrical face
• usually large or small ears
• low receding forehead
• prominent eyebrows, jawbones or cheekbones

Question 4

How did Lombroso come to his conclusion on the characteristics of criminals?

Answer 4

Examined cranial + facial features of hundreds of Italian convicts via post mortem examination

Question 5

What was Lombroso sample for his study?

Answer 5

383 dead criminals

3839 living convicts

Question 6

What was Lombroso’s conclusion from his study?

Answer 6

40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by people with atavistic characteristics features

Question 7

After Lombroso’s main study, what did he realise?

Answer 7

It’s unlikely there would only be 1 cause of criminality

inherited atavistic form interacted w/ individuals physical + social environment

Question 8

What are the 3 types of criminals identified by Lombroso?

Answer 8

1) Born criminals (atavistic type)
2) insane criminals (suffering from mental illness)
3) Criminaloids (mental characteristics predisposed them to criminal behaviour under the right circumstances)