biological theories Flashcards
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
sheldon (1940) saw
- certain somatotypes are linked to criminal behaviour
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
ectomorph - description
- thin, lacking fat and muscle, thin face, flat-chested, and high forehead
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
ectomorph - psychological traits
- self conscious, emotionally restrained
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
mesomorphs - description
- muscular, strong limbs, broad shoulders
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
mesomorph - psychological traits
- sensation seeking, risk taking, domineering
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
endomorphs - description
- round body shape, lack of muscle, wide hips
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
endomorph - psychological traits
- sociable and outgoing
PHYSIOLOGICAL - SHELDON
made links between
- mesomorphs and criminality
- physical stature is beneficial to crime
- more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours
GENETIC - TWIN
focus on
- identical twins (monozygotic) who are 100% genetically identical
GENETIC - TWIN
if one twin is criminal,
the other ought to be
GENETIC - TWIN
identical twins are…
- compared to non-identical twins (dizygotic)
- if criminality is genetic, you would expect more identical twins to be both criminal than non-identical
GENETIC - TWIN
evidence - christiansen’s study
-3,586 twins in denmark
- 52% concordance rate between mz twins
- among dz twins, only 22% chance
GENETIC - ADOPTION STUDIES
these studies…
- compare adopted children to both their biological parents and adopted parents
GENETIC - ADOPTION STUDIES
the thinking is…
- an adopted child (especially at birth) shares the same environment as their adoptive parents, but the same genes as their biological parents
GENETIC - ADOPTION STUDIES
if we find…
- adoptee’s behaviour in regard to criminality is more similar to their birth parents’ behaviour, it supports a genetic explanation
GENETIC - ADOPTION STUDIES
evidence - mednick et al
- examined data on over 14,000 adopted sons in denmark from 1924 - 1947
- sons more likely to have a criminal record if a birth parent did (concordance rate of 24%)
- smaller proportion (14.7%) had a criminal record if their adoptive parent had one
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
chromosomes…
- Are made up of DNA and protein and they are found in the nucleus of our cells
- They carry all the genetic information that we inherit
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
normally…
- we have 46 chromosomes (arranged in 23 pairs)
- XY - male
- XX - female
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
one abnormality is..
- extra Y chromosome
- known as the XYY syndrome but has been labelled as the ‘super male syndrome’
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
men with XYY syndrome…
- tend to be tall and well built
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
jacob et al (1965) claimed
- they are more aggressive and potentially violent than other males
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
evidence -
- studies on imprisoned criminals (in secure psychiatric hospitals)
- higher-than-average proportion of the inmates were found to have XYY syndrome
GENETIC - JACOB’S XYY
evidence 2 - many had…
- histories of aggression and violent assault
- Price and Whatmore (1967) found XYY males to be immature and unstable
