Forensic - Eysenck's theory Flashcards
What is Eysenck’s theory?
Proposed beh. can be represented along 2 dimensions that combine to form a variety of personality characteristics.
Introversion/extroversion
Neuroticism/stability,
What are the charac.s of extroverts?
Have an underactive nervous system so constantly seek excitement, stimulation and more likely to engage in risk taking beh. Tend not to condition properly and don’t learn from their mistakes.
Introverts are the opposite.
What are the charac.s of a neurotic ind.?
Tend to be jumpy, nervous and over-anxious. Quick to worry, anger or fear. Overly emotional and find it difficult to calm down once upset. Means their beh. is difficult to predict.
Stability is the opposite.
What is the criminal personality type?
Neurotic-extrovert. Combination of all the charac.s and beh.s possibly result in criminal beh.
What was the third personality Eysenck later added?
Psychoticism. A personality type that is cold, unemotional and prone aggression.
How does Eysenck believe children develop the criminal personality?
Through socialisation processes.
E saw it as developmentally immature as ppl are selfish, concerned w/ immediate gratification, impatient. Children are taught things like delaying gratification through socialisation. E believed ppl w/ E-N personalities had nervous systems that made it harder for them to socialise.
As a result they do not learn to respond to antisocial impulses w/ anxiety to they act antisocial when there is an opportunity.
What did Eysenck develop from his research?
Believed personality could be measured. Dev. the Eysenck Personality Inventory which determines where someone is in terms of neuroticism and extroverted.
Eysenck’s theory AO3: What supporting evidence is there for it?
Eysenck compared 2070 male prisoners scores on the EPI w/ that of a control group. The groups were subdivided into age groups. Across all age groups, prisoners recorded higher scores on E and N than controls.
Suggests there is a link.
Eysenck’s theory AO3: Why is it culturally biased?
Bartol and Holanchock (1979) studied Hispanic and AA offenders and divided into 6 groups depending on criminal history and offence.
All the groups were less extroverted than control. Shows Es theory may be culturally biased and cannot be generalised to other cultures.
Eysenck’s theory AO3: Why does it have poor scope?
Criticisms that all offending beh. can be explained by a single personality type. Other researchers such as Terries Moffitt, have suggested that there are several types of male offender based on timing of 1st offence and how long offending persists.
Likely that there is a Five Factor Model of personality w/ 3 additional dimensions of openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Therefore high E and N doesn’t mean offending is inevitable.
Eysenck’s theory AO3: Why is this theory reductionist?
Reduces criminal beh. to certain aspects of personality. Not everyone one who is E and N is an offender. Ignores social issues and biology. Only offers a partial explanation.
