Eysenck's theory Flashcards
What does he believe
Offending is due to the nervous systems we inherit
What were the two scales
Neuroticism/ stability, introversion/ extroversion
What was later added to define the criminal personality
Psychotoicism
What defines the criminal personality
Psychotic, neurotic, extroverted
What is the effect of socialisation
You can have the criminal personality and not display criminal behaviour if you have been socialised properly (learning delayed gratification)
What is the difference between intoverted and extroverted nervous systems
Introvert- overactive, doesn’t require stimulation
Extrovert- underactive, requires risk and excitement to reach optimum levels- less likely to learn from mistakes.
Strengths
Research evidence- eysenck and eysenck compared 2070 inmates EPI scores to control, prisoners had higher Extroversion, neuroticism and psycoticism than controls.
What measures the criminal personality
EPI- scale assesses the two dimensions, a self report tool
Limitations
-Culture bias
relies on personality
low biological basis- farrington