Biological Theories

Question 1

What are the 4 studies??

Answer 1

The Cambridge Study
Adoption studies
Twin studies
Genetic abnormalities study

Question 2

What is the view of genetic studies??

Answer 2

“Criminal Gene” passed down through family

Question 3

What was the Cambridge Study??

Answer 3

Deliquent Development in a longitudinal study -
397 families and half of criminal convictions came from 23 families

Warrington

Question 4

What is the Twin studies??

Answer 4

Focused on Monozygotic twins so if one is criminal then the other is likely to be
For Dizygotic if criminality is gentic then both Monzo more likley than both Diz -
MZ if one is then other has 52%
DZ is 22%

Christiansen

Question 5

2 + and 2- for the Twin studies??

Answer 5

+ They are genetically identical so makes sense their behaviour might be identical
+ Christiansen supports the “gentic gene”
- Small sample of twins may not be representitive of whole country
- In twin studies its immposible to seperate environement effects to genetic effects.

If it was only genetic rate would be 100%

Question 6

What is the adoption study??

Answer 6

Compares adopted kids to their biological and foster parents
20% chance if son had a criminal record
14.7% if adoptive parent had one

Mednick
Used 14,000 sons

Question 7

A03 for the adoption study??

Answer 7

+ Easy to seperate environment from genetic as adopted ( families )
+ Doesnt have to worry if they are copying their twin
- Kids usually placed into same environment (class + ethnicity) so same behaviour produced
- Age of kids may mean they have already been influenced and/or could be hard to get a hold of real parents

Question 8

What is the XYY study??

Answer 8

‘Super male’ – extra ‘Y’ chromosome.
Men with XYY found to be aggressive.
1 in 1000 men with XYY in society. Studies suggest that there are 15 in 1000 prisoners with XYY.

Jacob et al

Question 9

A03 for XYY??

Answer 9

+ 15 in 1000 in prison is a signifcant figure proving the theory.
+ Alder et al (2007) indicated that it is possible that aggressive and violent behaviour is at least partly determined by genetic factors.
+ Price and Whatmore (1967) found some links between the syndrome and property crime.
- Tall and well built so fit the “violent offender” so courts label them as this and they are more likley to get a custodial sentence and over represented
- Low intelligence so more likely to be caught and over represented
- The syndrome is very rare (1 in 1000 men) so it cannot explain much crime.