Forensics psychological explanations- EYSENCK

Question 1

Double whopper, STRENGTH,

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR EYSENCK

Answer 1

There is evidence supporting Eysenck’s theory.

Eysenck and Eysenck compared 2070 male prisoners’ scores on the EPI with 2422 male controls and found that the prisoners scored higher than controls.

This fits with the prediction from Eysenck’s theory that criminals have high levels of extraversion, neuroticism and extraversion.

As there is evidence supporting Eysenck’s theory it increases the validity of it.

Question 2

Hamburger, LIMITATION

Counter evidence- DIGMAN

Answer 2

The idea that all offending behaviour can be explained by a single personality type has been heavily criticised.

Digman (1990) suggested that there are additional dimensions alongside neuroticism and extraversion including openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

From this perspective, multiple combinations are available and therefore a high E and N score does not mean offending is inevitable.

Question 3

Hamburger, LIMITATION

CULTURAL BIAS- BARTOL AND HALONCOCK

Answer 3

This explanation may have cultural bias.

Bartol and Holanchock (1979) looked into cultural differences between Hispanic and African-American offenders in a maximum security prison and divided them into 6 groups based on their criminal history and the nature of their offence. It was revealed that all six groups were found to be less extravert than a non-criminal control group.

Bartol suggested that this was because their sample was a very different cultural group than that investigated by Eysenck.

This questions the generalisability of the criminal personality.

Question 4

Hamburger, LIMITATION

PERSONALITY EITHER ISN’T REDUCIBLE OR DOESN’T EXIST ACCORDING TO CRITICS

Answer 4

Eysenck’s theory is built on the premise that it is possible to measure personality though the use of a psychological test.
Critics have suggested that personality type may not be reducible (simplified) to a score in this way. Others have argued that there is no such thing as a personality. If there is no fixed and unchangeable “true self” that directs our behaviour, then the theory of criminal personality is incorrect

Question 5

Double whopper, limitation,

DOESN’T FIT JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Answer 5

Eysenck’s theory recognises that personality may have a genetic basis and therefore suffers from biological determinism. The theory suggests that criminal behaviour is a result of the activity of the nervous system. This suggests that people do not have control over whether they will be criminal or not. This does not fit with our judicial system which suggests that individuals always have choice over their actions.