Forensics - biological explanations: genetic and neural

Question 1

2 genes associated with criminality

Answer 1

MAOA and CDH13

Question 2

MAOA gene function

Answer 2

regulates serotonin

Question 3

CDH13 gene function

Answer 3

linked to substance abuse and ADHD

Question 4

who researched candidate genes for criminality and how

Answer 4

Tiihonen (2015), 800 finnish offenders. 5-10% severe violent crime committed by people with these genotypes

Question 5

evaluation of genetics

Answer 5

+ support of diathesis-stress model
- difficult to separate nature and nurture (adoption studies used but younger years not controlled and already influenced by nurture)
- higher rates for MZ twins due to environmental factors?
+ real life applications - genes = no sentence?

Question 6

Christiansen (1977) twin studies

Answer 6

35% concordance rates for MZ, 13% for DZ (figures from males)

Question 7

Crowe (1972) adoptee study

Answer 7

criminal biological mother, 50% risk of criminal record. non-criminal biological mother = 5%

Question 8

what disorder is linked with criminality

Answer 8

antisocial personality disorder (APD)

Question 9

what is APD linked with

Answer 9

less emotional responses and lack of empathy

Question 10

Raine’s research on brain structure in APD

Answer 10

reduced activity in prefrontal cortex, 11% reduction in size of cortex

Question 11

mirror neurons

Answer 11

linked with empathy, control responses to situations. mirror activity in another individual

Question 12

what did Keysers find was different in mirror neurons in APD

Answer 12

empathy reaction didn’t happen naturally. there is a neural switch, meaning he can control the response