Forensics - Biological Explanations of Offending (PAPER 3)

Question 1

Who is Lombroso?

Answer 1

Psychologist who developed the idea of the Atavistic Form.

Question 2

What is Atavistic Form?

Answer 2

“The Criminal Man” - Criminals are born and not made, they are genetically at a more primitive stage

Question 3

What physical features did Lombroso propose that criminals have?

Answer 3

• Asymmetrical face
• Heavy brow
• Very big or small ears that stick out
• Large jaws
• Long arms

Question 4

How did Lombroso find evidence of atavistic form?

Answer 4

Careful measurements of over 4000 living and dead criminals

Question 5

Negative evaluations of Lombroso’s atavistic form. (AO3)

Answer 5

• method was flawed (no control)
• Goring used a control group - offenders and non-offenders were identical
• Scientific racism (features common in black people leading to eugenics)
• May confuse cause and effect (self-fulfilling prophecy)

Question 6

Positive evaluation of Lombroso’s atavistic form. (AO3)

Answer 6

• Paved the way for scientific approaches to criminology, leaving behind religion

Question 7

What are genetic explanations of offending behaviour?

Answer 7

Suggest that there are inherited genes (genotype) that lead people to engage in offending behaviour (phenotype)

Question 8

What do twin studies show about offending behaviour?

Answer 8

MZ twins are far more likely to both be criminals that DZ twins

Question 9

What do adoption studies show about offending behaviour?

Answer 9

Biological children of criminals are likely to be criminals even when being raised in non-criminal families

Question 10

What is MAOA gene?

Answer 10

Gene candidate that is linked to high levels of criminal behaviour

Question 11

What is the diathesis stress model?

Answer 11

The theory that a pre-existing vulnerability like the MAOA gene (diathesis) will be triggered by environmental stressors.

Question 12

What happened in Rhee’s research?

Answer 12

Included 51 studies and 110,000 participants in a meta-analysis - found genetics account for 41% of variance in anti-social behaviour and environmental 59%

Question 13

What is a neural explanation of offending behaviour?

Answer 13

The idea that there is a range of biological processes and structures in the brain that lead to criminal behaviour (neurotransmitters and neurological structures)

Question 14

What is noradrenaline?

Answer 14

Neurotransmitter which, in high levels, can lead to aggression due to it’s role in fight or flight (naturally high levels can lead to a naturally aggressive person)

Question 15

What is Serotonin?

Answer 15

Neurotransmitter linked with the ability to control impulsivity (low levels can lead to impulsive crime)

Question 16

What is dopamine?

Answer 16

Neurotransmitter associated with pleasure that can be linked to drug addiction

Question 17

What happens when someone has a reduced limbic system?

Answer 17

emotions like guilt, empathy, and compassion are less likely to be experienced

Question 18

What is the Frontal Cortex?

Answer 18

Neurological structure in the brain responsible for executive function - thought to be underdeveloped in criminals

Question 19

Positive evaluations of biological explanations of offending behaviour. (AO3)

Answer 19

• Brunner case study on family of violent criminals - 5 had defective MAOA genes
• Raine measured volume of frontal lobe in people with APD - people with APD had an 11% reduction in gray matter
• Kiehl FMRI scans showed that psychopaths had signs of reduced activity in the limbic system during emotional processing tasks
• May lead to treatment rather than punishment

Question 20

Negative evaluations of biological explanations of offending behaviour. (AO3)

Answer 20

• Researchers don’t consider social sensitivity - genetic explanations could lead to justification of police discrimination
• Biological reductionist
• Hard to get criminal participants so anti-social behaviour is often measured instead