Chapter 2: Biological Theories of Criminal Behaviour Part 2

Question 1

William Sheldon matched body type with temperament:
Endomorph (bulky) —-> Viscerotonic
Mesomorph (lean/avg)—> Somatonic
Ectomorph (skeletal/tall)—> Cerebrotonic

Answer 1

1. heavier body type, short limbs, small bones, smooth skin
   L> loves to eat, extravert, luxurious activity (relax)…not at risk of criminal behaviour
2. Muscular, lean, big boned, large trunk, heavy hands and wrists, triangular body
   L> dynamic, adventurous, love being active, energetic, assertive, sociable, willing to take risks…can become aggressive
3. tall, thin, fragile, small boned, sagging shoulders, small face, tall and lanky, physically weak
   L> introverted sensitive to a lot of stimulation, report a lot of complaints of their body, like a quiet life, not going to head to criminality

Question 2

Issue with William Sheldons theory?

Answer 2

• only with men
• some correlation with mesomorph body types and crime
• not used anymore

Question 3

XYY chromosome?

Answer 3

• supermale….
• happens at point of conception(mutation) - not genetic
• avg IQ
  _Prison inmates : XYY is more prominent than in general population..scotland ..above avg height, lower intelligence
• Not aggressive more so than any others in gen pop

Question 4

XYY are more likely to commit what kind of crime?

Answer 4

• minot crime..not at a great risk for violent crime

- X<1% of the population have it

Question 5

Charles Goring?

• tested what?
• found what about offenders vs non-offenders
• argued what about criminality

Answer 5

• Tested lombroso’s criminal atavism
• found that offenders and nonoffenders varied in physical size and mental abilities…but not on other physical attributes..
• argued criminality is inherited….serious offenders had low intelligence

Question 6

Johannes Lange and colleagues (1919) found what about twins?
MZ
DZ
non twins

Answer 6

• 13 pairs of MZ: 77% concordance
• 17 pairs of DZ: 12% concordance
• Non-twin siblings: 8% concordance
• • just increases likelihood

Question 7

Schulzinger (1972) Adoption Studies

- with antisocial parents vs not

Answer 7

• 6.7% of antisocial adopted children had antisocial biological parents vs. 4.4% of non antisocial doped children

Question 8

Hutchings and Medniick (1977) - Adoption Studies

• parental influence
• antisocial father? vs non

Answer 8

• criminality of adopted children appears to be influenced by the criminality of the biological parents
• antisocial behaviour adoptive fathers can elevate risk in an already predisposed child ( 20% with crime fathers, 13% not)

Question 9

Diathesis Stress Model?

Answer 9

• diathesis= genetic/biological predisposition or vulnerability
• stress= external or internal stressor
• predisposition is insufficient on its on to cause criminality

Question 10

What would an integrated approach to understanding crime be?

Answer 10

• combines various disciplines…
• biocriminology, biosocial, bioenvironmental models of criminal behaviour
• consider the psychological, biological and social contributions to crime and the interaction between each other…