Biological explanations of Offending Behaviour

Question 1

What are the 3 biological explanations of offending behaviour

Answer 1

Atavistic
Genetic
Neural

Question 2

Who put forward the Atavistic explanation

Answer 2

Lombroso

Question 3

Describe the atavistic explanation

Answer 3

Comes from the biological approach and argues that criminals are ‘genetic throwbacks’ who are biologically different.
Untamed nature find it difficult to adjust to the demands of civilised society

Question 4

How can a criminal be distinguish according to the atavistic explanation

Answer 4

-identified by facial & cranial features
-possess particular physiological ‘markers’

Question 5

What features does a criminal have according to the atavistic explanation

Answer 5

-narrow sloping brow, strong prominent jaw, high cheekbones, facial asymmetry
-dark skin
-extra nipples, toe or fingers

Question 6

What features does a murderer’s and sexual deviants have according to Lombroso

Answer 6

murderer’s = bloodshot eyes, curly hair
sexual deviants = glinting eyes, projecting ears

Question 7

what there aspects do born criminals have

Answer 7

insensitivity to pain, use slang, tattoos and unemployment

Question 8

What are the strengths of the atavistic explanation

Answer 8

:) Influential to discipline of criminology
e.g. Lombroso credited for moving criminology forward scientifically, leading to key bio explanations of OB
exp. lead to further research, more credible

:) Large sample size
e.g. Lombroso examined over 4000 skulls
exp. link between atavistic form and OB, increase validity

Question 9

What are the limitations of the atavistic explanation

Answer 9

:( Socially sensitive
e.g. DeLisi ‘scientific racism’, many features most likely found in people of African decent. Even further, ‘identifiable’ features lead to stereotypes and eugenic philosophies
exp. negative impact, severe ethical implications

:( Research refuting
e.g. Goring compare 3000 criminals & non-criminals and found no evidence of distinctive features
exp. no link, question validity

:( Ignores nurture on OB
e.g. SLT argue you learn OB from role models, Bandura found individuals copy aggressive models
exp. OB is due to the environment, question validity

Question 10

What does the biological explanation argue cause offending behaviour

Answer 10

Biological psychologists argue that genetics and neural differences cause offending behaviour

Question 11

Describe the genetic explanation

Answer 11

-OB in the genes
-DNA strands = instructions
- transmitted from parents = inherited
-could be certain or combination of genes
-candidate genes identified

Question 12

Discuss twin studies in the genetic explanation of OB

Answer 12

Lange
-investigated 13 MZ twins and 17 DZ twins, one twin in prison
-found 10 of the MZ and 2 DZ had co-twin in prison
-concluded genetics is a factor in OB

Question 13

Discuss adoption studies in the genetic explanation of OB

Answer 13

Crowe found adopted children have a 50% risk of offending before 18 if their biological parent has offended.
Adopted children whose mother didn’t have a record only had 5% risk

Question 14

What are the two candidate genes identified causing OB

Answer 14

Abnormalities found in two genes:
MOAO gene = controls serotonin & dopamine linked to aggression
CDH13 gene = substance abuse & attention deficit disorder

Question 15

What is the diathesis stress model

Answer 15

if genetics do have an influence on offending than it is likely moderated /effected by the environment.

Question 16

Strengths of the genetic explanation

Answer 16

:) Research supporting diathesis stress model
e.g. Mendrick et al studied 13,000 Danish adoptees who had at least one court conviction.
- neither bio/ adoptive parent convicted = 13.5%
-biological parent convicted = 20%
-both bio/ adoptive parent convicted = 24.5%
exp. genetic inheritance plays a role, as well as environmental, thus supports model increasing validity.

Question 17

Limitations of the genetic explanation

Answer 17

:( Problems with twin studies
e.g. small sample size and is an unusual sample so can’t reflect the population
exp. lacks external validity

:( Deterministic
e.g. argues that OB is in the genes and causes dilemma that an offender can justify their actions with genes
exp. ignores freewill, genes don’t determine future

:( Reductionist
e.g. crime is complex and maybe many reasons an individual commits crime. Crime does appear to run in families but so does emotional instability, mental disorders and social deprivation.
exp. ignores other factors contributing to OB

Question 18

Describe the Neural explanation

Answer 18

• neural differences
• investigated on individuals with anti-social personality disorder (reduced emotional responses, lack empathy)
  -linked to pre-frontal cortex = regulates emotional, APD reduced activity
  -APD can turn on and off empathy

Question 19

Strengths of Neural explanation

Answer 19

:) Research support
e.g. Raine compare brain abnormalities of 41 murderers pleading NGRI to 41 controls through PET scans looking at the activity of both hemispheres and 6 specific areas. Found murderers had less activity in their pre-frontal (regulates our emotional responses) and parietal areas.
exp. Supports explanation that OB have neural differences.

:) Research support
e.g. Keysers et al conducted research to see whether criminals could empathise, criminals watched a film with someone in pain, some asked to empathise & some not to empathise. Found that when asked to empathise - they did (controlled by mirror neurons in the brain)
exp. criminals can turn on empathy, increase validity

Question 20

Limitations of Neural explanation

Answer 20

:( Problems with research support (Raine)
e.g. bias sample, small & all murderers
exp. cannot explain other crimes , weakens support and cannot generalise

:( deterministic
e.g. argues OB is caused by differences in the brain, rather than the criminal chooses how they behave.
exp. Ignores free-will

:( reductionist
e.g. reducing OB to specific brain parts when many factors effect why people commit crime.
exp. Ignores other reasons to causes of OB

Question 21

What are the 2 psychodynamic explanations of offending behaviour

Answer 21

Blackburn Superego
Bowlby’s maternal deprivation

Question 22

What idea did Blackburn (1993) put forward

Answer 22

criminal behaviour comes from an inadequate superego , if the superego is somehow deficient then OB is inevitable.

Question 23

What are the 3 types of superego

Answer 23

weak superego
deviant superego
over-harsh superego

Question 24

Describe the weak superego

Answer 24

-absent same-sex parent
-leads to poor control

Question 25

Describe the deviant superego

Answer 25

-comes from internalised deviant/ immoral values from parent

Question 26

Describe the over-harsh superego

Answer 26

-comes from harsh or punitive internalised
-crippled by guilt and anxiety
-turn to crime as it enables superego to feel guilt

Question 27

What did Bowlby put forward

Answer 27

Bowlby put forward the maternal deprivation hypothesis.

Question 28

What does the maternal deprivation hypothesis argue

Answer 28

-mother figure/ motherly love is essential especially during the critical period (30 months)
-failure to establish this bond has severely negative consequences
-Develop affection less psychopathy which is characterised by a lack of guilt or empathy
-More likely to engage in acts of delinquency (supported by his 44 thieves study)

Question 29

What are the strengths of the psychodynamic

Question 30

What are the strengths of the psychodynamic explanation of OB

Answer 30

:) Research support
e.g. Bowlby’s 44 thieves study, young boys are more likely to become criminals if they have a prolonged separation from their mother &more likely to become affectionless psychopaths.
exp. evidence to support MD leads to criminality, increase validity

:) Practical application
e.g. Trouble Families programme works to change patterns of poor parenting & anti-social behaviour, helps to prevent development of later mental health and criminal behaviour.
exp. supports psychodynamic theory (poor parenting increasing OB)

Question 31

What are the limitations of the psychodynamic explanation of OB

Answer 31

:( Methodological issues with Bowlby
e.g. researcher bias, perceptions influenced responses of interviewees
exp. lacks internal validity, weakens support

:( Contradictory evidence of Blackburns weak superego
e.g. little evidence to suggest children raised without same-sex parents are criminals as adults
exp. contradictory evidence, lowers validity

:( Lack falsifiability
e.g. superego can not be empirically tested and so can only be judged at face value rather than having scientific evidence.
exp. psychodynamic regard as pseudoscientific, doesn’t contribute to understanding OB and how to prevent it.