Explanation of crime and ASB: Biological explanation Flashcards
What are the 3 biological explanations of crime
XXY chromosomes
The Amygdala
Brain Injury
How brain injury can account for offending
Incidents that result in brain damage like sports accidents, are called acquired brain injuries (ABIs), cause the developing brain to misfire.
Brain injury: How can ABIs affect the developing brain
Disrupts development of the brain, develops until mid 20s, and affect cognitive abilities. The individual may fail to move pass reckless behaviour associated with childhood.
Brain injuries: What are some cognitive abilities brain injury may affect the development of
Foward planning and impulse control
Brain injury: key thinker
Williams et al (2010)
Brain injury: what did Williams et al (2010) do
analysed data from 196 inmates from a single Uk prison.
Brain injury Williams et al (2010) findings
60% of inmates recalled history of 1 or more brain injuries in their youth.
- This group tended to be younger when they committed first crime.
- This group spent more time in prison in last 5 years than rest of sample
Amygdala: where is it located
temporal lobe in both hemispheres of the brain
Amygdala: How does the amygdala explain agression?
Abnormalies in the size, structure and activity correlate with increased aggression, making criminal behaviour more likely to occur.
Amygdala: what is a key thinker of research into the Amygdalas role into aggression
Adrian Raine
Amygdala: How did Raine and his colleagues find a link between the amygdala and crime
Investigated fear responses of 1,795 3 year old children
- played a sound either followed by a loud unpleasant sound or silence
Amygdala: What did Raine and his colleagues find when investigating the fear response of 1795 children
They found that 20 years later, the children who had comitted crimes were more likely to be the ones who didn’t show a fear response.
Amygdala: How did Raine and his colleagues explain this behaviour
abnormal amygdala activity.
XyY Syndrome: What is XYY syndrome?
Where 1-1000 males are born with extra female chromosome
XXY Syndrome: What does and doesn’t it affect
No effect:
- Testosterone levels
- Sexual development
Affect on:
- Physical difference
- Behavioural difference
XXY Syndrome: What are some physical and behavioural differences
Males with XXY chromosomes are typically taller and less intelligent, and can be more impulsive.
What is a weakness of the Amygdala idea
research into the amygdala being lined with aggression shows other brain areas are implicated
Weakness of amygdala: evidence that suggests other brain areas are implicated
research shows amygdala is heavily influenced by OFC (orbitofrontal cortex) which is in the frontal lobe and not the limbic system
Weakness of amygdala: role of orbitofrontal cortex
regulate self control
Weakness of amygdala: what does this evidence suggest
The influence of the amygdala on crime and ASB is dificult to untangle
Strength of application
biological explanations can lead to new ways in assessing culpability
Strength of application: evidence of this
Williams et al argued for increased awareness of brain injury in the criminal justice system, including screening of young people after their first offence
Strength of application: what did Willaims argue
brain injury should be looked at the same as mental health and taken into account when sentencing.
Stregth of application: what does this evidence suggest
biological explanation can have important influence over trial decision making
Weakness of XYY syndrome
Lack of evidence as an explanation
Weakness of XYY syndrome: evidence that shows this
Re and Birkhoff conducted a meta analysis of 50 years worht of evidence and concluded theres no link with XYY syndrome and offending
Weakness of XYY syndrome: alternate explanation of all the people with XYY syndrome in prisons
social factors, XYY syndrome make it harder for men to intergrate into society and find work.
Weakness of XYY syndrome: what does this evidence suggest
XYY theory is not a credible explanation of crime
