Criminal personality theory - Eysenck's Flashcards
Background -
Who is Eysenck’s
Born in Germany in 1916
He spent most of his professional career in the UK
What does the theory suggest ?
Criminal behaviour occurs due to criminal personality traits caused by inherited genetics that affect the brain
What does the theory start by identifying ?
Three personality types: extraversion, neuroticism’s and psychoticism .
Everyone is born with these traits but to varying degrees depending on genetic inheritance
What did Eysenck devise ?
Questionnaires to score these 3 personalities, for example
high extraversion score = extrovert
low extraversion score = introvert
high neuroticism score = neurotic
high psychoticm score = psychotic
He believed that these personality traits meant an individual could be ———- ————— to ———– into ——— ————— and norms
more resistant
socialising
moral behaviour
people who score high on Extroversion =
are outgoing, lively and sociable and confident
Opposite = quiet, shy = introvert
It is possible to be in between these two extremes too
people who score high on neuroticism =
are anxious, angry and prone to feeling guilty
Opposite = calm, even tempered = stability
It is possible to be in between these two extremes too
people who score high on psychoticism =
are impulsive, aggressive and selfish
Opposite = warm, considerate = high impulse control
It is possible to be in between these two extremes too
According to Eysenck’s theory, individuals with criminal personality will score highly on ..
Criminals are likely to be …
all three scale, extraversion , neuroticism and psychoticism
- Criminals are often extroverts , people with this trait need a lot of stimulation from the environment and often thrill seekers. This excitement can be found through involvement in criminals activity .
Criminals are likely to be …
Neurotic = stuck in pattern of behaviour to relieve their high anxiety levels , which can include criminal behaviour. Their high anxiety could also get in the way of attempts to punish criminal or anti-social behaviour . As a result = don’t easily learn from previous mistakes
Criminals tend to be psychotic because characteristics of these people are directly related to crime
Eysenck argues there is a ——– element to criminal behaviour by linking what 2 things together ?
biological
criminal personality traits to CNS
Biological element to extroverts
Under arousal in CNS
The RAS is in the brain stem which link the brain and the spinal cord and regulates stimuli sent to cerebral cortex . In extroverts, cerebral cortex is under aroused because stimuli is restricted by the RAS. Cerebral cortex is hungry for stimulation which is gained through risky, lawless behaviour.
Extroverts have higher dopamine reward system , so they respond more positively to reinforcers like sex and money, to the point where they may need to acquire them illegally
Biological element to neuroticism
related to autonomic nervous system which is activated during emotional inducing situations and regulates the activity of the brains limbic system. Eysenck argues that the ANS becomes over-aroused in neurotics leading to high level of violence ( activates limbic system )
Biological element to psychoticism
Result of excess dopaminergic neurons which cause over production of dopamine by the nervous system . The excess dopamine levels leads to less inhibition of impulses in the brain during synaptic transmission
High levels of ———- and ——– make people ——– – ———
extraversion, neuroticism make people difficult to condition
People who are naturally stable and introverted learn the association between performing an antisocial or criminal act and negative outcomes more easily so avoid committing crimes in the future.
Since Eysenck believes that children are born with personality traits, he claims those who score high on e and n may be more resistant to early socialisation - Process when young child is conditioned to accept norms/values of their family and wider society - in terms of learning moral behaviour. Not doomed to a life of crime since nature and nurture interact but means that parents and agents of socialisation will have to work hard to divert their child from thrill of crime, so extroverts and neurotics more likely to end up in occupations that match their personality types, such a politics or business. As those occupations have to make big decisions and take risks which may feed their pleasure seeking behaviour. Business people may relieve their anxiety through finding ways to make profit.
State two criticisms of the theory
1) Eysenck’s theory is accused of ignoring individual differences. Rather than emphasising uniqueness of people, he tries to place them into broad categories. Critics say its wrong to ‘lump’ neurotic extroverts together and assume that they have similar reasons for turning to crime
2) With such range of crime, its unlikely that all criminals share a similar personality. Even if we accept Eysenck’s broad personality types, its hard to accept that a person who spontaneously robs people on the streets has the same kind of personality as people who carefully plan frauds. In his later work he suggested violent ppl may be more stable than neurotic.
State 3 criticisms of crime
- Too deterministic, Theory suggests people born of personality types then their chance of becoming criminals is driven by biology. Critics say that its suggests crime is out of persons control which does not help individuals taking responsibility of their actions
- Concept of psychoticism is not helpful. Some psychologists argue that psychoticism is not a trait of criminal behaviour or a cause but rather a definition
- Although Eysenck takes into account both nurture and nature, there is not enough emphasis on nurture. Rather than saying that neurotic extroverts are naturally hard to condition which puts emphasis back onto nature, critics suggest with the right environment, these people do not have to turn to crime as much as they do
