Explanations of Offending - Biological Part 2

Question 1

What is the neural explanation

Answer 1

Any explanation of behaviour (and its disorders) in terms of dys(functions) of the brain and nervous system
Includes the activity of brain structures such as the hypothalamus and neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine

Question 2

How does this relate to twin studies

Answer 2

Lange 1930
Time in prison
13 monozygotic pairs
17 dyzygotic pairs
MZ rate in prison = 10/13 (7%)
DZ rate = 2/17 = 12%

Question 3

Describe the study about criminal behaviour in adopted children

Answer 3

Mednick et al 1984
14,427 Danish Adoptees
Rates of concordance for criminality between the adoptees and their adopted and biological parents were compared
13.5% of adoptees with parents (A/B) without criminal conviction, had one themselves compared to 14.7% of adoptees with one criminally convicted adoptive parent
20% had one criminally convicted biological parent
24.5% had one criminally convicted biological and adoptive parent

Question 4

Describe a family study with genes
ur cute jeans

Answer 4

Brunner et al 1993
Large family in the Netherlands
Anti-social and criminal behaviour: rape, arson and exhibitionism (paraphilia)
“Brunner syndrome” - genetic condition
Lower IQ = family average was 85
Causes a deficiency in MAOA
MAOA = enzyme responsible for the metabolism of serotonin

Question 5

What did Tilhonen suggest is the candidate gene for aggression using a genetic analysis of 900 Finnish offenders

Answer 5

MAOA
Controls dopamine and serotonin
Links w aggression

Question 6

What did Tilhonen suggest is the candidate gene for substance abuse and attention deficit disorder

Answer 6

CDH13 (protein coding)

Question 7

Tilhonen conclusion about candidate genes for disorders

Answer 7

Individuals w abnormalities on both of the genes were 13 times more likely to have a history of violent behaviour

Question 8

What did Jacobs et al 1965 find regarding an extra Y chromosome

Answer 8

Found a higher % of people from a prison population had the atypical sex chromosome pattern XYY
Led to increased testosterone and therefore increased violence
However ppl w this chromosomal abnoramlity are more likely to be hypreactive, impulsive and have a lower IQ which may explain their criminality

Question 9

What does the diathesis-stress model indicate
Meehl 1962
Ripke et al 2014
ah temporal validity

Answer 9

Link between genetic-predisposition and biological and psychological trigger
e.g. Being raised in a dysfunctional environment or having a criminal role models
Diathesis-vulnerability: stress = negative psychological experience
Psychological trauma such as child abuse can affect the hypothalimic pituitary adrenal system (Ripke et al 2014)

Question 10

What are some neural explanations of crime

Answer 10

Evidence suggests there may be neural differences in the brains of criminals and non-criminals
Most of this research in this area has investigated individuals diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy)
APD = reduced emotional responses and a lack of empathy for others

Question 11

Describe the link between the prefrontal cortex and APD

Answer 11

Individuals who experience APD show reduced activity in the PFC (part of brain that regulates emotional behaviour)
Raine 2000 found an 11% reduction in volume of grey matter in the PFC of people with APD compared to control groups

Question 12

What is the Raine et al 1997 study regarding criminal convictions

Answer 12

41 not guilty for reasons of insanity and 41 controls
Participants wore headphones and were instructed to press a button when they heard a beep
Involves concentration and should activate the prefrontal cortex
Then PET scan taken of activity

Question 13

What were the results of Raine’s PET scans

Answer 13

Showed PF deficits (prefrontal) can lead to someone being more impulsive and emotional
PFC = 1.14 NGRI, 1.18 control
Corpus callosum, associated with LT planning = 0.56 NGRI, 0.68 control
Increased thalamus activity in NGRIs, which is responsible for processing info and for aggression

Question 14

Describe the mirror neurons study
Keysers et al 2011

Answer 14

Found only when criminals were asked to emphasise with others )person being depicted on film experiencing pain), their empathy reactions was activated
Is controlled by mirror neurons
Suggests APD individuals do experience empathy, although is not an automatic response
These neurons fire in response to the actions of others

Question 15

What is a +ve evaluation that supports the idea of the candidate gene

Answer 15

Tiihonen et al 2014
cant call psych names boring dat 4 sure
Studied violent and non violent behaviour
78 rates as extremely violent
1154 murders, manslaughters, attempted murder and battery (idk how thats a crime. drinking it? buying it? using it? idk)
Classified them as having the “warrior gene” that non-criminals did not have
Alcohol and drug abuse is shown to have caused hyperactivity in dopamine levels
All extremely violent criminals had consumed drugs or alcohol before committing their crimes

Question 16

What is a -ve evaluation against twin studies

Answer 16

do they rlly look similar to the untrained eye?
Lange 1930 - study was poorly controlled and judgements related to zygosity were based on appearance and not DNA testing
Studies with twins use small sample sizes and may not represent the whole population
Confounding variable = most twins are reared in the same environment
Therefore concordance rate may be due to shared learning experiences and not genetics

Question 17

What is a +ve evaluation for the diathesis-stress model of crime

Answer 17

cos like it save lives
mhm
Mednick et al 1984 - Danish adoptees study
DID THEY CONSENT TO BEING DANISH???
Genetic inheritance plays a role as do environmental influence

Question 18

What is a -ve evaluation against adoption studies

Answer 18

did they ask to b adopted??
How easy is it to separate genetic and environmental influences in adoption studies?
Late adoption = infancy and childhood would have been spent with biological parents
Regular contact with biological parents?
Difficult to access the environmental impact the biological parents might have had
Criminality could be due to inherited emotional instability or mental illness (Andrew and Bonta, 2006)
Mednick et al 1984 - only petty offenses found, not violent crimes

Question 19

What is a -ve evaluation regarding biological reductionism

Answer 19

Criminality is complex and genetic and neural explanations are simplistic and inappropriate
Katz at al 2007 - crime does run in families but so does emotional instability, social deprivation and poverty
Exposure to crime rather than poverty
No study has found 100% concordance rate between MZ twins and often have been low

Question 20

What is another -ve evaluation regarding biological determinism
at this point id just give up

Answer 20

‘Criminal gene’ presents ethical problems for our legal system since it negates free will (criminals might be able to justify their crimes through biology, not their own free will and thinking)
Raises ethical question surrounding what society does with people who carry ‘criminal genes’
Presents problems for society and implications for sentencing

Question 21

Describe a psychotic person

Answer 21

Someone who is insensitive, unconventional and lacks conscience

Question 22

Describe a neurotic person

Answer 22

Someone who is nervous, anxious and obsessive

Question 23

Describe an extrovert

Answer 23

Sociable, impulsive, expressive and risk-taking

Question 24

Describe an introvert

Answer 24

Cautious and happy in their own company