Module 2: Evoltion and Biological Theories of Crime Flashcards
Natural Selection
Evolution of plants, organisms, and species that evolved over time gradually in response to the environment.
What are the three components of natural selection?
Genetic transmission of material, reproductive success, selection pressures.
Genetic Transmission of Material
Adaptation that appears randomly in an organism’s genetic makeup is called a mutation.
Reproductive Success
How good an organism is at having children and keeping them alive so the offspring procreate and pass the successful adaptation in to the next gene pool.
of surviving descendants who themselves go on to reproduce.
They have to survive their environment to reproduce.
Selection Pressures
Environmental pressures found within niches that determine whether or not a random mutation gives an organism a reproductive edge.
Characteristics of the environment, predators, food shortages, & mate scarcities.
Successful Adaptations
Characters of an organism that enhanced reproductive success in the ancestral environment.
Evolutionary Forensic Psychology
Hypothesizes that recurring ancestral selection pressures that caused conflicts led to the development of evolved psychological mechanisms that manifest as crime/antisocial behaviour only when certain environmental cues are present.
The behaviours that were once linked with successful adaptations are now labelled as ‘crimes’.
The evolved psychological mechanisms exist within us, but they’re only going to manifest themselves under certain environmental situations.
Parent-Offspring Paradigm
Obtaining the concordance rate between adoptive parents and their adopted children.
MAOA
Monoamine oxidase.
Low activity of this gene is linked with aggression (especially when paired with childhood maltreatment).
Responsible for metabolizing norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.
Norepinephrine
Associated with fight or flight.
Serotonin
Associated with mood regulation and behavioural inhibitions.
Dopamine
Pleasure center of the brain.
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers of the nervous system operating in the brain.
- Serotonin is studied the most*
- Lower levels of it are linked with aggression*
Hormones
Messengers of the endocrine system.
- Testosterone is studied the most*
- Higher levels of testosterone evidence a small correlation with aggression*
Fearlessness Theory
Some individuals do not experience elevated heart rate or sweaty palms when stressed, thus are more likely to take risks like crime.
Stimulation-Seeking Theory
Chronic state of low arousal is unpleasant: risk-taking alleviates this.
Working Hypothesis
Structural or functional damage to the prefrontal cortex is responsible for:
- Emotional regulation
- Decision making
- Impulse control
- Cognitive Flexibility
Neuroimaging studies
Structure (reduced grey matter, tumors, lesions)
Function (blood flow, glucose metabolism)
Determinism
If we are hard-wired this way, there is nothing we can do.
Naturalistic fallacy
If science says so, then it must be morally right.
Environmental Cues
These dictate our behaviours.
It could include resource scarcities (unemployment, poverty, food, shelter, and money). As well as mate scarcities.
If your outlook for the future, your life, and your longevity is bleak, it will elevate the probability that you’re going to take more risks.
Shared Environment
These are the factors that people have in common (the environmental factors).
According to research, 16% of the variance in criminal conduct is due to what people experience together in their home life.
