Forensics - psychological explanations: Eysenck Flashcards
Who argued personality is inherited?
Eyesenck
What did Eyesenck focus on in his research
Personality and intelligence research
What are the two dimensions that Eyesenck proposed?
- introversion to extraversion
- neuroticism to stability
What was the third dimension added by Eysenck?
Psychotisim to sociability
What three dimensions make up the criminal personality?
Neurotic - extrovert - psychotic
Extrovert characteristics
- under active nervous system so constantly seeking excitement
- risk taking behaviours
- don’t condition easily
Neurotic characteristics
- High level of reactivity in sympathetic nervous system
- Quick response to fight or flight
- Nervous, jumpy and over anxious
- Behaviour is difficult to predict
Psychotic characteristics
- Higher levels of testosterone
- unemotional
- prone to aggression
- lack empathy
What innate trait is never socialised out of criminals
Desire for immediate gratification and selfishness
Why are criminals difficult to socialise/condition
High E and N have nervous systems that don’t react well to conditioning
Strength of Eysenck’s theory
+ when compared prisoners to non-prisoners, prisoners scored higher on Eysenck’s personality quiz (EPQ) in N and E dimensions, suggesting EPQ and theory is valid
Limitation of Eysenck’s theory
- Farrington conducted meta-analysis. Found offenders scored higher highly on P but not always N and E.
- Kissner found inconsistent differences in EEGs of introverts and extroverts
- reductionist, adolescence-limited offending and life course persistent. Personality traits can’t predict lifelong offending behaviour. Offending = reciprocal process between personality and environment
- Not consistent across cultures, Barton studied Hispanic offenders, scored less on E scale than control group. Can’t be generalised
- personality = too complex for EPQs quantification