PERSONALITY EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Question 1

Evaluate personality as explanation of crime

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Answer 1

Boduszek et al. looked at prevalence of Eysenck’s types in recidivists (312) in ^security prison, found a criminal thinking style is correlated w ^levels of psychoticism, extraversion and neuroticism

Only 1 crim personality. 5 factor model (Digman) accepts concepts of extraversion/introversion but adds agreeableness, conscientious. >Levels of agreeableness/conscientious = offending. Lipsey claim impulsivity is better predictor of AS behaviour

Raine et al. (1990) took physiological measures when ppt aged 15, found those w criminal record 24yrs later recorded ^signs of under-arousal in nervous system (age15), e.g. >resting heart rate

Question 2

What are the dimensions of Eysenck’s theory?

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Answer 2

• Extraversion-introversion
• Neuroticism-stability
• Psychoticism

Question 3

What are extraverts like and what are the repercussions of such personality?
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Answer 3

• Crave excitement/stimulation
• Risk taking behaviour
• Don’t condition easily (not as affected by punishment)

Question 4

What are neurotic individuals like and repercussions of such personality?
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Answer 4

• Nervy, anxious, volatile
• React strongly to situations other would find >stressful
• Instability = hard to predict

Question 5

How are extraverts biologically explained?

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Answer 5

• Constant need for excitement = underactive nervous system, requires ^levels of arousal

Question 6

What are psychoticism individuals like?

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Answer 6

• Self centred, cold, lack empathy for others

- Score^ on all 3 dimensions

Question 7

How can the socialisation process make extraverts behave anti socially?
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Answer 7

• Natural reward seekers, >receptive to operant con, >affected by punishment

Question 8

How can the socialisation process make neurotics behave anti socially?
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Answer 8

• Interferes w efficient learning, difficulty taking on board social rules