Individualistic theories of criminality: Eysenck’s personality theory Flashcards
What is extraversion?
An outgoing, sociable, excitement-seeking, impulsive, aggressive personality
What is an introvert?
A reserved, inward-looking, serious, pessimistic, self-controlled personality
What is neurotic?
Anxious, moody, depressed, prone to over-reacting
What is emotionally stable?
Calm, even-tempered, controlled, unworried
What is conditioning?
Learning through experience to seek pleasure (rewards) and avoid pain (punishments)
What is genetic inheritance?
Some individuals are born with a nervous system that causes them to develop a criminal personality
What is psychoticism
Having a personality that is cruel, insensitive, aggressive and lacking in empathy
What is a correlation?
Relationship between two variables – not cause and effect
What is validity?
How true a test is – does it actually measure what it sets out to measure?
What is the key idea of Eysenck’s personality theory?
Criminality is the result of a highly neurotic and highly extroverted personality type
What are personality dimensions in relation to Eysenck’s personality theory?
Extraversion vs introversion (E)
Neuroticsm vs emotional stability (N) and later added psychoticism (P)
What are extraverts relating to crime in relation to Eysenck’s personality theory?
Have a nervous system with a high need for stimulation so constantly seek excitement through rule-breaking and impulsive behaviour
What are neurotics relating to crime in relation to Eysenck’s personality theory?
They are harder to condition into following society’s rules because of high anxiety levels preventing them from learning from punishment
What are psychotics relating to crime in relation to Eysenck’s personality theory?
People with high P score tend to be solitary misfits who are more likely to be criminal and may have serious mental illness e.g. schizophrenia
What is one strength of Eysenck’s personality theory?
Describes how some measurable tendencies may lead to criminality
