Eysenck’s Theory Of The Criminal Personality Flashcards
What is Eysenck’s theory?
A theory of personality based on the idea that certain character traits tend to cluster somewhere along three dimensions in a normal distribution:
1. Extraversion to introversion
2. Neuroticism to stability
3. Psychoticism to normality (added later)
These character traits have a biological basis that is mostly innate: Eysenck claimed that 67% of the variance of these traits was due to genetic factors
What is the biological basis for extraversion?
How extroverted you are depends on the overall amount of arousal within your nervous system. An under-aroused nervous system requires more stimulation. Extraverts seek external stimulation to increase cortical (brain) arousal. Introverts are innately over-aroused so tend to avoid stimulation
What is the biological basis for neuroticism?
Depends on the stability of your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response). A neurotic person is slightly unstable so will be easily upset. However, a ‘stable’ personality tends to have a more unreactive nervous system, making them calmer under pressure
How are each of the three dimensions of Eysenck’s theory distributed and what does this mean?
Normally distributed, meaning around 68% of any population will fall within one standard deviation from the mean
How did Eysenck assess personality?
Created the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ)
What is the biological basis for psychoticism?
Higher levels of testosterone is related to psychoticism, meaning men are more like to be found at this end of the spectrum and therefore more likely to offend
What is extraversion according to Eysenck?
Outgoing people who enjoy risk and danger as their nervous systems are under-aroused and desire stimulation
What is neuroticism according to Eysenck?
People with a negative outlook on life and get upset easily. Lack of stability is a result of an over-reactive response to threat
What is psychoticism according to Eysenck?
Somebody with an aggressive, anti-social personality who lacks empathy. May be related to high test
How did Eysenck show a link between personality and criminal behaviour genetically?
In terms of arousal:
. Extraverts seek arousal, therefore engage in dangerous activities
. Neurotics are unstable and therefore prone to over-reacting to threats, possibly explaining some criminal activity
. Psychoticists are aggressive and lack empathy (self-explanatory)
Apart from a biological basis alone, how did Eysenck explain criminality?
As the outcome of the mix of innate personality and socialisation
- interaction with the environment is key in the development of criminality as this environment will determine whether the genetic traits in the personality are at risk of being expressed
How is conditioning affected by those with high neuroticism and extraversion?
They are less easily conditioned to not repeat a behaviour due to punishment (operant conditioning), so may not learn to avoid anti-social or criminal behaviour that they may be exposed to in socialisation
