Chapter 6 (pg 162 – 177)

Question 1

Trait theories

Answer 1

these approaches look at the combination of biological or psychological attributes that might explain criminality

Question 2

Somatype

Answer 2

an idea used in a system developed for categorizing people on the basis of their body build, associated with the work of William Sheldon

Question 3

Sociobiology

Answer 3

the branch of science that views human behaviour as motivated by inborn biological urges and desires. The urge to survive and reproduce motivates human behaviour

Question 4

Equipotentiality

Answer 4

the concept that individuals are equal at birth and thereafter are influenced by their environment

Question 5

Instincts

Answer 5

the mechanism by which routine actions and behaviour are known automatically without being learned

Question 6

Hypoglycaemia

Answer 6

a biochemical condition, in this case a deficiency of sugar, which influences antisocial behaviour and criminality

Question 7

Androgens

Answer 7

male sex hormones, which have been linked to criminality

Question 8

Testosterone

Answer 8

an androgen, or male hormone, which controls secondary sex characteristics and can alter behaviour

Question 9

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Answer 9

the biogenetic theory that several days prior to and during menstruation, females are beset by irritability and poor judgment as a result of hormonal changes, which places them at a greater risk for criminality

Question 10

Neurophysiology

Answer 10

the study of brain activity that looks at neurological and physical abnormalities acquired during the fetal or perinatal stage, which are thought to control behaviour

Question 11

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Answer 11

a device that can control the electronic impulses given off by the brain, commonly called brain waves

Question 12

Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD)

Answer 12

an abnormality in cerebral structure that causes maladaptive behaviour and is linked to antisocial acts and an imbalance in urge-control

Question 13

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Answer 13

a condition in which a child shows a developmentally inappropriate lack of attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity

Question 14

Arousal theory

Answer 14

the view that people with a high arousal level seek powerful stimuli to maintain an optimal level of arousal; often associated with violence, aggression, and sociopathy

Question 15

r/K theory

Answer 15

an evolutionary theory of crime that holds that K-oriented people are more cooperative and sensitive to others; r-oriented people are more cunning and deceptive