Eysenck theory of criminal personality

Question 1

Hans Eysenck

Answer 1

• offending behaviour caused by a criminal personality
• personality has an innate, biological basis
• comes through the NS we inherit

Question 2

personality dimensions

Answer 2

extrovertism - introvertism
neuroticism - stability
psychoticism - normality

Question 3

extroverts

Answer 3

• outgoing, having positive emotions, may get bored easily
• inherit under-aroused NS so seek stimulation

Question 4

neuroticism

Answer 4

• the tendency to experience negative emotional states rather than positive
• unstable, nervous, tend to experience negative emotions

Question 5

psychoticism

Answer 5

egocentric, impulsive, aggressive, lack empathy, cold and unfeeling, and generally not concerned about other people

Question 6

criminal personality

Answer 6

• neurotic-extrovert
• unstable and overly anxious
• sensation seeking and outgoing
• score highly on measure of psychoticism
• measured using eysenck personality inventory

Question 7

strengths of eysenck’s theory

Answer 7

Research support for bio basis
- zuckerman: MZ twins +5.2 correlation for neuroticism to 0.24 for DZ
- high concordance rates suggests considerable genetic component
Real world applications
- good predictor of who’ll be an offender and changing social experiences of those predisposed
- can offer treatment to reduce criminal tendencies

Question 8

limitations of eysenck

Answer 8

Assumes personality consistent
- M&P: fam, friends and strangers rated 63 students in various situations and found no correlation between traits displayed
- notion of criminal personality flawed as we don’t have one personality
Issues of validity
- personality tests self-reports
- social desirability bias, treat evidence w caution