Criminal Behaviour

Question 1

Problems with crime statistics (3)

Answer 1

1. Statistics count the number of crimes, not the number of criminals
2. People may not be aware that they have been a victim of a crime and therefore cannot report it
3. Victims do not always want to report crime

Question 2

Aspects of the criminal personality (5)

Answer 2

1. Impulsiveness
2. Lack of guilt
3. Pleasure-seeking
4. Over-optimism
5. Self-importance

Question 3

(CB core theory)
Biological theory (4)

Answer 3

• The criminal personality, and therefore criminal behaviour is inherited
• If an individual’s parent is a criminal, they have a higher chance of becoming a criminal too
• Inherited brain dysfunction
• Inherited criminal facial features

Question 4

Pre-frontal cortex

Answer 4

This area is underactive in some criminals, it is the part of the brain where humans are conditioned to form an association between fear and anti-social behaviour

Question 5

Limbic system (and the amygdala)

Answer 5

This is the part of the brain that controls aggressive and sexual behaviour- it is more active in criminals than normal people. The amygdala controls emotion, such as sympathy to a sad face

Question 6

Corpus callosum

Answer 6

The bridge between the rational and irrational hemispheres of the brain. Is found to be less active in murderers.

Question 7

Temporal lobe

Answer 7

Involved in many functions, including language, learning and emotions. Brainwave activity is slower in the temporal lobe of aggressive psychopaths

Question 8

Features of the criminal face (4)

Answer 8

1. Asymmetrical face
2. High cheekbones
3. Fleshy lips
4. Prominent chins

Question 9

Criticisms of the Criminal behaviour Biological theory (3)

Answer 9

1. There cannot be one gene to account for all types of criminal behaviour due to variation in criminality. Some things are deemed criminal in some cultures and not in others
2. Brain dysfunction is only evident in some criminals, and so is not a reliable prediction. Also may not be genetic.
3. The idea that criminals have a different set of features is not supported by evidence. Society may be prejudiced against certain types of people, and so they are more likely to get arrested

Question 10

(CB alternative theory)

Social Learning Theory (3)

Answer 10

• We learn most behaviours from observing and imitating others
• We are more likely to observe and imitate our role models
• Vicarious reinforcement

Question 11

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 11

When someone’s behaviour is reinforced because they observe how another person is rewarded for the same behaviour

Question 12

Mednick et al (1984)

Answer 12

Procedure- Studied the criminal records of 14,000 adopted males in Denmark and compared with the criminal records of their biological and adoptive parents
Results- Twice as likely to be a criminal if their biological parents were. Siblings raised in different adoptive households w/ criminal father had 30% chance of both committing crime
Conclusion- Strong genetic component to criminal behaviour, but the effect of environment adds to the effect of genes

Question 13

Mednick et al (1984) Evaluation

Answer 13

1. The study relied on records of criminal convictions, which may have been unreliable > problems w/ crime statistics
2. ‘Contamination effect’ of spending early development with biological parents means that this could’ve affected their behaviours
3. Androcentric- not representative

Question 14

CB Applications of research:

Crime Reduction

Answer 14

Crime prevention- Early interventions offered through social services or education. It prevents children learning bad behaviours. Instead, appropriate and co-operative behaviour is reinforced.