Biological Theories Of Criminality

Question 1

Name all physiological theories

Answer 1

Atavism-Lombroso
Somatotypes-Sheldon

Question 2

Explain Lombroso’s theory: born criminals

Answer 2

Argued that criminals were physically different.
Evolutionary throwback.
Enormous jaws, high cheek bones, long arms
Exp-Lombroso examined the skulls of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones.

Question 3

Sheldon’s somatotypes & personality theory

Answer 3

Saw criminals as physically different and certain body types are linked to criminal behaviour.
Mesomorphs are more likely to engage in crime as they are attracted to risk taking and have an imposing physique

Question 4

Name all genetic theories

Answer 4

Twin studies
Adoption studies
Jacob et al XYY study

Question 5

Twin studies

Answer 5

Theorist- Christiansens et al
Theory- MZ twins share the exact same DNA if one is criminal the other will be too
Exp- Studied 3,586 twin pairs in Denmark
52% chance of MZ twins sharing a conviction
22% chance of DZ twins sharing a conviction

Question 6

Adoption Studies

Answer 6

Theorist- Mednick et al
Theory- a child of criminal parents is adopted will they become criminal or not ?
Exp- 14,000 adopted sons
20% of adoptees with criminal parents also had a record
14.7% of adoptees who’s adopted parent had a criminal record also had a record

Question 7

Jacob et al XYY study

Answer 7

Abnormality of sex chromosomes
Extra (Y) chromosome labelled as ‘super male syndrome’
Men with XYY syndrome tend to be tall well built and of low intelligence.
Exp- higher proportion of inmates have XYY syndrome.

Question 8

Brain Injuries

Answer 8

Phineas Gage- American railroad foreman known for having survived a traumatic brain injury caused by an iron rod that shot through his skull and obliterated the greater part of the left frontal lobe of his brain, caused increased aggression.

Question 9

Brain diseases

Answer 9

Charles Whitman had a brain tumor pressing on his amygdala, a region of the brain crucial for emotion and behavioral control.

August 1, 1966, when he murdered 16 people including his wife and mother.

Question 10

Brain disorders

Answer 10

Studied 41 murderers who had pleaded insanity
Raine studied PET scans and found there was abnormalities in brain activity

Question 11

Examples of Biochemical Explanations

Answer 11

Sex hormones- PNT, PMT, Puberty
Blood sugar levels- Hypoglycaemia (low bloody sugar)
Substance abuse- alcohol, drugs (80% of family violence cases involve alcohol)
Other substances- food additives, diet and vitamin deficiencies