Forensic Psychology - 6. Psychological Explanations: 1. Eysenck's Criminal Personality Flashcards
Factors of our personality according to Eysenck
It’s innate
Has a biological basis
Personality is genetic
How is our personality genetic?
We inherit a type of nervous system that predisposes us to offending
Was Eysenck’s theory of personality intended for studying crime?
No. It is a general theory that has been applied to crime
What does Eysenck’s theory of personality suggest all personalities are made up?
Suggests all personalities are made up of certain characteristics and the extent to which you have those traits determines your personality
What are the 3 dimensions that personality varies along?
Neurotic
Extravert
Psychoticism
Way of remembering the 3 dimensions that personality varies along
High PEN
How does the criminal personality theory link with biological explanations of criminality?
Because the theory views criminal behaviour as being due to activity of the nervous system (innate)
Criminal personality = (equation)
Psychoticism + extraversion + neuroticism
Traits of an extrovert (6)
Social
Impulsive
Expressive
Risk taking
Talkative
Outgoing
Why are extroverts sensation seeking according to Eysenck?
Because they have an under-aroused nervous system
What does extroverts requiring greater external stimulation lead to/result in?
Results in more risky behaviour and their impulsive and nervous nature
Do extroverts learn from mistakes?
No
What might draw an extrovert to committing a crime?
The thrill of it
CNS of extroverts
It’s less responsive than that of ‘normal’ people
Traits of an introvert (5)
Happy on their own
Cautious
Reflective
Self-aware
Takes time to make decisions
What does a less responsive CNS mean in terms of fight or flight?
It takes more to trigger the fight or flight response
Neuroticism traits (4)
Nervousness
Obsessiveness
Anxious
Irritable
How did Eysenck go about reducing social desirability in his personality questionnaire?
He included a ‘lie score’ which is out of 9. There were a number of questions which were all the same (just with different wording) so Eysenck could see if the answers were consistent and truthful
Nervous system of people with high neuroticism
Over-aroused sympathetic nervous system, meaning it reacts very quickly to stressors - the fight or flight response is easily and frequently triggered
When are those with high neuroticism likely to commit a crime? Why?
Likely to commit a crime in an emotionally charged situation because their fight or flight response is easily triggered
Traits of individual with high psychoticism (6)
Cold
Heartless
Anti-social behaviour
Aggressive
Insensitive
Unemotional
What causes aggressive behaviour among psychotics according to Eysenck?
Psychotics have excess dopamine neurons causing an overproduction of dopamine
Increased dopamine leads to inhibition of impulses (increased recklessness) during synaptic transmission
This inhibition potentially causes aggressive behaviour
What else do psychotics have increased levels in according to Eysenck?
Increased levels in testosterone
What crimes are psychotics linked to? Why?
Violent and sexual crimes, due to aggression (testosterone) and pleasure seeking (dopamine)
What is criminality the outcome of according to Eysenck?
It’s the outcome of innate personality and socialisation
Will a person born with certain personality traits for a criminal always become a criminal?
No. Interaction with the environment is key in the development of criminality
What 3 things is crimnal behaviour associated with?
Developmental immaturity
Selfishness
Immediate gratification
4 steps of conditioning
- Child is conditioned
- Child learns sense of right and wrong
- Child avoids behaviour which leads to punishment
- Child learns to control their impulses
What explains why people with high extroversion and neuroticism are likely to act anti-socially?
They cannot be conditioned easily
How can you predict if a child is going to become a criminal according to Eysenck?
If they can’t control their own impulses after conditioning they are likely to go onto criminality
What did Eysenck do to find research support for his theory of criminal personality?
He compared around 2000 male prisoners score on EPQ (Eysenck’s personality questionnaire) with 2400 male controls. Did the same type of study for female prisoners
Results of Eysenck’s research
Across all age groups and males and females, prisoners recorded high scores on EPQ than controls
What did Farrington et al find which singly goes against Eysenck’s theory?
Reviewed 16 studies and found that offenders tend to score highly on P and N measurements but not always on E
How does Eysenck’s theory include cultural bias?
Eysenck studied mainly white western European participants
Participants were guilty of property crime (doesn’t measure personality for serious crimes).
Research found that a group of Hispanic convicts were less extrovert compared to non-criminals
Suggests Eysenck’s theory is not universal and so lacks generalisability
How is Eysenck potentially guilty of oversimplification?
Digman’s Five Factor Model suggests that there are more than 3 factors that indicate whether someone is going to be a criminal or not
