Personality Explanation for Criminality

Question 1

Introvert

Answer 1

Reserved, control their emotions & plan their actions.

Tend to be serious, reliable and pessimistic

Question 2

Extrovert

2

Answer 2

Sociable, crave excitement and change, thus can be bored easily. Tend to be carefree, optimistic and impulsive.

Learn less from their experiences thus less affected by punishment. Could be more likely to be criminal

Question 3

Neurotics

Answer 3

Tend to be anxious, worried and moody

According to Eysenck, the typical criminal personality type is Extrovert-Neurotic

Question 4

Psychoticism

Answer 4

Later added by Eysenck

Individuals who are self-centered and lack empathy

Question 5

Arousal Theory

2

Answer 5

The Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS) is responsible for maintaining optimum levels of arousal. It does this by ‘exciting’ or ‘dampening down’ the sensory information form our brain

Extroverts may have a higher threshold & therefore need more stimulation to reach this optimum arousal level

Question 6

Personality Explanation for criminal behaviour

4

Answer 6

Those who score highly on Neuroticism scales are more likely to be volatile and find situations upsetting that others would not

Extroverts being natural reward seekers means they’re less receptive to operant conditioning and therefore less affected by punishment

Neuroticism interferes with learning which may relate to difficulty taking on board social rules

This is why Extrovert-Neurotics more likely to behave anti-socially.

Question 7

Supporting Studies

Answer 7

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Question 8

SODA

Answer 8

S - Boduszek et al. (2013) investigated the prevalence of Eysencks personality traits in repeat offenders (recividists). 133 violent and 179 non-violent. Boduszek found a ‘thinking style’ style’ correlated with high levels of psychoticism, neuroticism and extraversion.

O - Farrington et al. (1982) found very little evidence that Eysenck’s questionnare was able to predict offending. Suggests Eysencks theories lack validity

D - Suggests there is one type of criminal personality, which may not be the case. Fro example, Digman’s 5-Factor Model (1990) accepts Eysencks ideas of extroversion and introversion, but also adds openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness. Of these, low agreeableness and conscientiousness are linked to offending

A - Early interventions in tackling crime. Theory states states that criminal tendencies, inability to learn from mistakes and lack of empathy, can be identified early in childhood and socialisation experiences can be modified to limit the risk of criminal behaviour