Gender (social and biological) Flashcards
What are the gender differences in the type of crime?
-F lower arrest rates than males for all crime except prostitution
-6% prison population f, 94% male
-In US f less than 20% of arrests for most crime cats
-F less than 15% since 60s for serious crime (homicides)
-F greatest in minor property crime, fraud, forgery etc
What are the gender differences in the frequency of committing crime?
-F less likely to reoffend
-LT careers in crime among women rare (may have for prostitution or property)
-F crime inc faster than m especially property offences
-percent of arrets doubled between 60s and 75 from 15-30+%
What does the brain injury theory of criminality say?
-PFC responsible for planning, control, decisions and problem solving. If TBI then lasting impact and poor decisions, lack restraint
-social not bio factors increase the liklihood of TBI in males
-Hypothalamus - won’t be able to regulate appropriate hormones relating to beh
-Hippocampus - poor learning of when should and shouldn’t show beh
-Amygdala- can’t recognise emotions
Is gender a factor for brain inury?
-Young males most at risk of TBI. Impulsive and risky. PFC less developed, manual jobs
-Gender diffs in people experiencing a TBI.
-14% for teenage males, 5% for females
Research for gender differences in brain injury (weakness)
-Bruns and Hauser
-males at a higher risk of TBI than females.
-Interpersonal violence and vehicle collisions
-TBI result of crim behaviour not the other way round.
Alternative explanation for why males commit crime
-Testosterone
-But could link to poor functioning of hypothalamus
-Higher T linked to aggression and crime
Weakness of RM for TBI (correlation)
lack of cause and effect as correlational relationship between TBI and crime. Could be 3rd factor
Weakness of RM for TBI (case study)
-Charles Whitman and Phineas Gage
-physical evidence as tumour
-Unusual and cant gen
-Lowers cred
-no c&e
-retrospective
Overall conclusion for TBI
Males at higher risk of TBI which could lead to inc in crime but could be other causes like hormones
Amygdala as an explanation for criminality (3)
-Responsible for emotional memory, fight/flight,fear, works w hippocampus
-If left side low activity then lack fear (conseq)
-Criminals = reduced vol, blunted emotions
Is gender a factor for the amygdala?
-Generally no gender diffs, in functioning and neurobiology
Research to support amygdala and gender
-Shirtcliff et al
-Review didn’t emphasize gender diffs but found that girls show more empathy than boys.
-more conduct disorder and ASB in males
-amygdala important in emotions
Research to criticise amygdala and aggression
Hyde et al
No gender differences
Weakness of RM for crime and amygdala
Shirtcliff et al is correlational
-Don’t know what brain is like before the crime
-Said males more likely but structurally same, empathy doesn’t just come from amygdala
Overall conclusion for gender diffs and amygdala
-No gender diffs, only evidence that females are more empathetic
What does XYY say about criminality?
-Extra Y chromosome in 1 out of 1000 males, 15/1000 prison population
-lack empathy, overly aggressive, SFP
-Learning difficulties - delays in dev
Is gender a factor in XYY?
-Issue in males only
-environmental factors like labels, SFP relating to masculinity
Research supporting XYY has gender differences (2)
-Jacobs et al. 1/1000 normal, 15/1000 prison.
-Whatmore. age of first conviction lower (13) than normal (18)
Alternative explanation
-labelling. discrimination and stereotypes of aggression. SFP
Conclusions for XYY and gender
Not issue between m+f as only males. More abt how males treated in society.
How does personality explain criminal behaviour
-Eysenck: crime from high PEN scores. Psychoticism linked to T.
-Freud: dominant ID, weak/deviant/strong, poorly developed ego lead to criminal beh as give into ID or superego overly harsh.
Is gender a factor for personality?
-F higher N scores, m higher P scores.
-As P more in males, supports idea of ASB having bio underpinnings
Research supporting personality and gender (2)
-Eysenck and Lynn and Martin
-females higher N and males higher P. Lynn and Martin across 37 countries, universal.
-Supports ASB
Research criticising personality and gender
-Hesslebrock
-when looking at AS personality disorder, factors like fam background, alcoholism and childhood behaviour issues can impact.
-No gender diffs.
