Brain Explanations - Brain Abnormality

Question 1

area of the brain that is key for decision making and self control

Answer 1

Pre-frontal cortex

Question 2

What can happen if this area of the brain is damaged or undeveloped?

Answer 2

Someone may not be able to think through the consequences and resist temptations

This could result in impulsive behaviours such as crime

Question 3

Evidence: Raine - who did he study?

Answer 3

1997

He studied convicted murderers who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI), and non-murderers

Question 4

Evidence: Raine - what did he find?

Answer 4

He found, with PET scans, significant differences in the brain activity in the pre-frontal cortex

The murderer had lower activity in their pre-frontal cortex

He also found abnormal asymmetries or activity in some areas in the brain including the amygdala and the hippocampus

This suggests that there may be some biological factors that make individuals more likely to commit violent crime