Criminal=> What makes a criminal

Question 1

Key research=> Raine

Investigating the difference in brain function between criminals + non-criminals

Answer 1

Criminal group= Not guilty for reason of insanity

• 41 criminals=> murder/manslaughter
• Schizophrenia, head injury/organic brain damage, epilepsy

Non-criminal group=

• 41 matched by age + gender to criminal group
• Schizophrenic criminals matched to schizophrenia non criminals
• Injected with radioactive glucose tracker=> show levels of activity in different regions of brain
• Completed continuous performance task=> indicate when a 0 appeared on a screen + visually degraded over time
• Then had a PET scan to show regions are the brain that were most active=> will use more glucose- will light up on pet scanner
• Reduced brain activity in prefrontal cortex in NGRI group=> explains impulsive behaviour + lack of self control
• Less activity in the corpus callosum=> correspond to findings from split-brain patients who show inappropriate emotional expression and an inability in long-term planning

Question 2

Brunner=> MAOA + serotonin

Answer 2

Family from Netherlands=> abnormally large amount of Males with violent + aggressive behaviour

• Investigate if there was a physiological connection
• 5 urine sample from Males
• Had a genetic mutation=> reduced amount of MAOA=> enzyme that breaks down + absorbs serotonin
• Couldn’t breakdown + absorb serotonin as easily
• Physiological explanation why Men turned to crime

Question 3

Jahoda=> self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 3

Tribe who lives in Ghana= Ashanti=> believe the day you are born on affects your personality

• Born on a Wednesday (Kwaku)= violent + aggressive
• Born on a Monday (Kwadwo)= placid + relaxed

Examined names of criminals who have commited violent offences
Kwadwo boys= 6.9% of offences
Kwaku boys= 22% of offences

Question 4

Raine=> Mauritius study

Answer 4

Children with low resting heart rates from Mauritius
Group 1=> 100 children
3 part intervention= encourage them to behave better
Nutrition=> balanced nutritious diet
Physical exercise=> structured games
Cognitive stimulation=> toys/crafts
Group 2=> matched control group + no intervention
Age 11=> group with intervention= better concentration + mature brains
Age 17=> less cruel to others, less likely to start fights + bully
However=> no intervention will completely eradicate crime

Question 5

Smocking in pregnancy + testosterone

Answer 5

• Smoking cigarettes during pregnancy=> increased prenatal testosterone exposure to foetus
• Being exposed to high levels of testosterone in womb=> linked to high levels of aggression, sensation-seeking behaviour + impulsivity=> all behaviour associated with antisocial + violent behaviour= more likely to be a criminal