Biological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour Flashcards
What is inherited criminality?
Certain genetic combinations predispose individuals to criminal behaviour
Describe Osborne and West (1979) research in relation to family studies.
40% of sons with criminal records had fathers with criminal records
Describe Raine (2002) research in relation to twin studies.
Meta-analysis found a concordance rate for criminality of 44% for MZ (identical) twins and 21% for DZ (non-identical) twins
What is meant by concordance rate?
The rate of possibility that two people with the same genes develop the same condition
What can we conclude from the family studies of inherited behaviour?
Criminal behaviour could be inherited however the concordance rate is not 100%, therefore other factors must also influence
What did Goldsmith and Gottesman (1996) say about crime being caused by genetics?
Genetics should not be used to justify criminal behaviour in law, however there may be genetically influenced predispositions for behavioural tendencies
What are the two candidate genes studied?
MAOA
CDH13
What is the candidate gene MAOA nicknamed?
The Warrior Gene
What is MAOA linked to and how does it work?
Breaks down neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin and has been linked to increased aggressive and anti-social behaviour
What is CDH13 linked to and how does it work?
It is involved in neural connectivity and it is unknown how it leads to violent behaviour.
It has been linked to issues such as substance misuse and depression, increasing risk of committing crimes
What did Tiihonen (2015) find in relation to the candidate genes?
900 Finnish offenders, low activity in CDH13 and MAOA
What is the diathesis-stress model?
A more modern understanding of the genetic contribution to criminal behaviour
Describe the diathesis-stress model.
Inherited Predisposition to Develop the Disorder + Trauma (Parental, abuse, conflict or life changes) → Psychological Disorder
How does the diathesis-stress model explains criminality?
Some people are more prone to criminal behaviour through the mutation of MAOA and CDH13, however in combination with trauma, the person will have criminal behaviours
What did Caspi (2002) say about the diathesis-stress model?
Longitudinal study of 1000 people, assessed at age 26 found that 12% of men who had MAOA gene mutation had experienced maltreatment in childhood and were responsible for 44% of violent crimes
