biology- genetic and neural explanations

Question 1

whats the importance shown in twin studies

Answer 1

-christiansen= studied over 3500 twin pairs in denmark
found concordance rates for behaviour for offender behavior in 35% for identitcal(MZ) males and non identical (DZ) was 13%
-slightly lower for females

Question 2

what did crowe find in adopted children

Answer 2

-adopted children w biological mother had criminal record had 50% of having one by 18y/o

Question 3

what percent did crow find for those whose mother didnt have criminal record

Answer 3

5% risk of CR

Question 4

what were the 2 candidate genes associated w vio crime

Answer 4

MA0A AND CDH13

Question 5

what is the purpose of MA0A

Answer 5

-regulate serotonin in brain and linked to agressive behaviour

Question 6

what has CDH13 been linked to

Answer 6

-substance abuse and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Question 7

what were the findings found of the two violent genes

Answer 7

-found that 5-10% of all severe crimes has attributes to MA0A and CDH13 genetoypes

Question 8

what is the diathesis stress model

Answer 8

-tendency to offend comes from the combo of genetics and enviornemnt infulence

Question 9

what did Raine find about the pre frontal cortex

Answer 9

-individuals w anti social personalaties have reduced pre frontal cortex activity

Question 10

what does pre frontal cortex regulate

Answer 10

-emotional behaviour

Question 11

what did raine find out about volume of grey matter in pre frontal

Answer 11

-found 11% reduction in the volume of grey matter in preforntal in those w APD compared to control grp

Question 12

what was research done on mirror neurons

Answer 12

-keysers asked offenders to empathise and their empathy reaction activated
-so they do have empaty but its like a neural switch that has to be turned on and off
-in normal brains its permanently on

Question 13

weaknesses of genetic explanations

Answer 13

(issues w twin evidence)
-assumes an equal environment
-shared env may apply more for MZ as they look identical so treated similar which affects behaviour
-higher concordance may be in MZ

Question 14

nature and nurture argument for genetic exp

Answer 14

-presumed adoption studies are a good way of sepearting nurture and nature if crime is genetic adopted child should still be infulenced
-BUT adoptions take place when older so spend several years w bio parents and may be encouraged to still hv contact so bio parents can still exert infulence

Question 15

strengths of genetic exp

Answer 15

-(support for diathesis stress)
-mednick - 13000 danish adoptees
-when neither bio or adopted parents had CR= adoptees tat did was 13.5%
-figures rose when BP has convictions and 24.5% when both adoptive and BP had
-supports infulence exert by BP and adoptees

Question 16

strenghts of neural exp

Answer 16

-crime and frontal lobe
-freed= looked at frontal lobe damage and anti social beh
-people w FL damage had impulsive and emotional instability
-FL associated w planning beh
-so supports idea it may cause people to offend

Question 17

weaknesses of neural exp

Answer 17

(intervening varibales)
-farrington et al= group of men scored high on APD
-had experinced alot of risk factors in childhood e.g parents convicted and neglect
-so could be these varibales also infulecing them
-rs between APD and neural can be complicated

Question 18

how can we argue biological determinism

Answer 18

-CJS is based on the notion we all have responsibility for our own actions
-only extreme cirucmstances e.g MH they may say we lack responsibility