Lesson 5: Eysenck's Theory of the Criminal Personality

Question 1

Eysenck (1947)

Answer 1

Personality traits are biological in origin and came about through the type of nervous system that we inherit from our parents. So, all personality types are innately biological

Question 2

Personality composition of offenders

Answer 2

High in neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism

Question 3

Extraversion

Answer 3

People will high extraversion are impulsive and seek sensations which may draw them to the thrill of committing crime

Question 4

Neuroticism

Answer 4

They are unstable and unpredictable and Eysenck believes that people with a high neurotic score inherited a nervous system that made them difficult to condition. Therefore they will not learn easily from their mistakes

Question 5

Psychoticism

Answer 5

Cold, lack empathy and prone to aggression which may translate to criminal behaviour

Question 6

Strengths of Eysenck’s Theory

Answer 6

NO STRENGTHS!!

Question 7

Weaknesses of Eysenck’s Theory

Answer 7

• Farrington et al (1982) reviewed several studies and reported that offenders score high on psychotics, but not on extraversion and neuroticism when compared to non-offenders. Therefore they may be cold, not empathetic and prone to aggression, but they are not impulsive or unstable.
• Too simplistic. Crime is too complex and varied to be due to a single personality type. For example, the personalty composition of a fraudster may be different from an arsonist or murderer
• Eysenck’s Theory is out of step with modern theories of criminal personality. Digman’s (1990) Five Factor Model introduces an openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness in addition to extraversion and neuroticism.
• Eysenck’s Theory is based on the idea that it is possible to measure personality through tests. It can be argued that personality is not as reducible to a score in this way. A person’s character may change on a daily basis as a response to daily struggles or otherwise.