Forensics - Neural explanations Flashcards
What is meant by a neural explanation of criminal behaviour?
- These consider how the structure and workings of the brain may be linked with criminal behaviour.
- Evidence suggests neural difference in brains of criminals and non-criminals
- Evidence found in individuals diagnosed with APD - antisocial personality disorder (formerly known as psychopathy
What are the charachteristics of APD?
APD is characterised by lack of empathy and reduced emotional responses.
Outline research into the neural differences between someone with APD and someone without
Adrian Raine
– Found that several brain imaging techniques found individuals with antisocial personalities have reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex.
Raine et al (2000) – 11% reduction in volume of grey matter in prefrontal cortex in people with ADP compared to controls
Outline research into mirror neurons in people with ADP
Keysers et al (2011)
- Found that when criminals were asked to empathise with someone on film experiencing pain, the empathy reaction (controlled by mirror neurons) activated.
- This suggests that those with APD are capable of empathy, but it is a process that can be switched on and off, unlike in a ‘normal’ brain.
Evaluate the neural/genetic explanation of crime - biologically deterministic
The suggestion that crime is genetically or neurally caused has implications in the legal system, raises ethical questions and takes away responsibility from criminals (link to Mednick et al – not all become criminals).
Evaluate the neural/genetic explanation of crime - reductionist
Crime runs in families, but so does emotional instability, mental illness and social deprivation – just genetic or neural effects are difficult to separate from other possible factors, overly simplistic to assume that crime is simply genetic or neural (in twin studies, MZ twins do not show 100% concordance)
