Biological Theories - Genetic

Question 1

What are the 2 types of genetic theories?

Answer 1

• Mednicks adoption study
• Jacob’s XYY

Question 2

What were the 2 things that the adoption study could show?

Answer 2

• Behaviour is genetic because the adopted child portrays similar behaviour to the biological parents
• Behaviour is learned because the adopted child portrays similar behaviour to the adoptive parents

Question 3

What was Mednicks theory?

Answer 3

Mednick believed that if a persons biological parent commits a crime the child is likely to be a criminal because they have the same genetics

Question 4

What was Mednicks research?

Answer 4

-He examined data from 14,000 adopted sons in Denmark

• He then compared the results to the child’s biological parents and adoptive parents

Question 5

What did Mednick find?

Answer 5

• He found that if a child’s biological parent was convicted of a crime they are more than twice as likely to be convicted
• Biological siblings raised in different environments had a 30% chance at both committing crimes

Question 6

What are 2 strengths of Mednicks theory?

Answer 6

• Only type of study to find a direct comparison between nature and nurture, Walter’s and White reinforced the importance (reliable, accurate)
• Longitudinal studies so it can study the development of characteristics that are triggered by genes throughout the child’s life (reliable, accurate)

Question 7

What are 2 weaknesses of Mednicks theory?

Answer 7

• Adoption processes isn’t always random and children are often placed with people like their biological parents (inaccurate, bias, unscientific)
• the adoption process is rare so there is only a small number of people assumed to represent everyone (not useful, unscientific)

Question 8

What is Jacob’s theory?

Answer 8

That makes with an extra Y gene (XYY) they are more likely to become criminals due to higher levels of testosterone and lower IQ’s

Question 9

What is the XYY gene?

Answer 9

It is a genetic mutation that occurs during fertilisation, this causes a genetic disorder but it is not inherited

Question 10

What are 3 characteristics that are caused by the XYY mutation?

Answer 10

• Higher levels of testosterone
• Lower IQ’s
• Minor behaviour problems

Question 11

What was Jacob’s research?

Answer 11

Examined 197 Scottish prisoners DNA and found that there was an overwhelming amount that had the XYY gene compared to in society

Question 12

What are 2 strengths of Jacob’s theory?

Answer 12

• Conducted blood and DNA analysis so can be replicated and likely having similar results (scientific, reliable)
• Other studies support the claim, Alder et al indicated a link between aggression and genetic factors (reliable, accurate)

Question 13

What are 2 weaknesses of Jacob’s theory?

Answer 13

• Ignores behaviouristic approach and disregards links with environmental factors (reductionist, bias)
• Not all XYY men are criminals (vise versa) so it has no correlation (unreliable, inaccurate)