Forensics - Eysenck's Theory Flashcards
What is Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality?
Hans Eysenck (1947) proposed that behaviour could be represented along three dimensions: introversion/extraversion (E), neuroticism/stability (N), and psychoticism (P). The criminal personality type is neurotic-extrovert—a combination of high E, high N, and high P scores.
What is the biological basis of Eysenck’s theory?
Eysenck believed our personality traits are biological in origin and come from the type of nervous system we inherit. Extraverts have an underactive nervous system, seek excitement, and fail to learn from mistakes. Neurotics are jumpy and over-anxious due to high instability, making their behaviour difficult to predict. Psychoticism was later added to explain cold, unemotional, and aggressive behaviour.
How is the criminal personality measured?
Eysenck developed the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), a questionnaire that measures extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism to determine personality type. A later scale added psychoticism.
What is the role of socialisation in Eysenck’s theory?
Eysenck saw criminal behaviour as selfish and concerned with immediate gratification due to ineffective socialisation. Criminals develop less socially oriented behaviour and have immature, impulsive tendencies, failing to learn to delay gratification.
Define “the criminal personality.”
An individual who scores highly on measures of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism and cannot easily be conditioned, is cold and unemotional, and is likely to engage in offending behaviour.
What is one evaluation point supporting Eysenck’s theory?
Point: Evidence supports the predictions of Eysenck’s theory.
Evidence: Sybil and Hans Eysenck (1977) compared 2070 male prisoners’ scores on the EPI with 2422 male controls. Groups were divided into age groups ranging from 16 to 69 years. Prisoners scored higher than controls on psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism across all age groups.
Explanation: These findings align with Eysenck’s prediction that offenders show higher scores on these dimensions.
Link: This evidence supports the idea that personality dimensions are linked to criminal behaviour, as Eysenck theorised.
What is one evaluation point questioning the idea of a single criminal personality?
Point: The idea of a single criminal personality has been heavily criticised.
Evidence: Moffitt (1993) proposed several distinct types of adult male offenders based on the timing of the first offence and how long offending persists. Similarly, Digman’s (1990) Five Factor Model of personality includes additional traits like openness and agreeableness, which Eysenck overlooked.
Explanation: This suggests that combinations of multiple personality dimensions may determine criminal behaviour rather than just Eysenck’s three dimensions.
Link: These critiques challenge the validity of Eysenck’s theory, suggesting criminal behaviour is more complex than his model proposes.
What is one evaluation point regarding cultural bias in Eysenck’s theory?
Point: Eysenck’s theory may suffer from cultural bias.
Evidence: Bartol and Holanchock (1979) studied Hispanic and African-American offenders in New York and found that these groups were less extraverted than Eysenck’s predictions suggested.
Explanation: This challenges Eysenck’s view, as his research was based on Western, predominantly white samples, reducing generalisability.
Link: These findings suggest that Eysenck’s theory may not apply universally across cultures.
What is one evaluation point regarding the biological basis of personality?
Point: Eysenck’s theory assumes personality traits are inherited.
Evidence: There is support for this from research into APD, which suggests that biological factors, like reduced brain activity in areas linked to empathy, underlie antisocial behaviour. However, environmental factors are also influential.
Explanation: While the biological basis provides partial support for Eysenck’s theory, it fails to account for the interaction between genes and environment in shaping personality.
Link: This suggests that although personality may have biological underpinnings, it cannot fully explain criminal behaviour alone.
