Physiological theories of Criminality Flashcards
What are the four physiological theories of criminality?
- Phrenology (Lombroso)
- Somatotypes (Sheldon)
- Brain abnormality (Raine)
- Neurochemistry (Scerbo and Raine)
What do physiological theories suggest that criminality can be indicated by?
Physiological theories focus on a person’s physical form as an indicator of criminality.
Who was the main theorist behind the theory that somatotypes indicate a propensity for criminality?
William Sheldon (1949)
What are Sheldon’s three fundamental body types or somatotypes?
- Endomorphic (fat and soft) tend to be sociable and relaxed.
- Ectomorphic (thin and fragile) are introverted and restrained.
- Mesomorphic (muscular and hard) are more aggressive and adventurous.
What did William Sheldon’s 1949 study involve, and what did he find?
Sheldon examined front, side and back photographs of 4,000 scantily clothed men, and proposed three somatotypes. He used a correlation study, finding that many criminals prone to committing violent and aggressive acts had the mesomorphic (muscular and hard) body type, and the least likely to be criminal were ectomorphic (thin and fragile).
He also used photographs of college students and delinquents and rated them on a scale (1, low to 7, high) according to their resemblance to mesomorphy. His results showed that the delinquents had a higher average mesomorphy rating than the college students (4.6 - 3.8)
Give four strengths of Sheldon’s theory.
- Other studies have confirmed a small association between bodily build and criminality (Putwain & Sammons, 2002)
- A good size sample (200) was used, and more importantly, Sheldon had a control group of non-offenders (students) to compare the results to.
- Glueck and Glueck (1956) supported Sheldon’s findings. In a sample of delinquents they found that 60% were mesomorphs, while in a non-delinquent sample, only 31% were mesomorphs.
- Sheldon did find that the criminal groups were more mesomorphic.
Give four weaknesses of Sheldon’s theory.
- Sheldon’s theory doesn’t explain how ectomorphs and endomorphs can also be criminals.
- It doesn’t take into account the fact that a person’s somatotype isn’t fixed. People’s bodies change throughout their lives.
- Mesomorphs may get picked upon or dared to do illegal acts. Because of the way that people consider mesomorphs, and because of their body shape they may be drawn into delinquent activities by their peers.
- If a mesomorph’s shape is considered criminal, do courts think this too? The judicial system may treat them more harshly, increasing the likelihood that they are officially labelled as criminal.
Who is known as the ‘Father of Modern Criminology’?
Cesare Lombroso, an Italian psychiatrist and military doctor, pioneered the us of scientific methods in criminology.
What was Lombroso’s theory of criminology?
Lombroso argued that the criminal is a separate species, between modern and primitive humans. He suggested that a ‘born criminal’ could be determined by the physical shape of the head and face, and that criminality was heritable. He said that those who committed crimes had atavistic, or primitive features - ‘throwbacks’.
What are examples of atavistic features?
- large or forward projection of the jaw
- high cheekbones
- flattened or upturned nose
- low, sloping forehead
- long arms relative to lower limbs
- large ears
What did Lombroso’s study involve?
Lombroso studied the facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals, and 3,839 living ones and concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics.
According to Lombroso you could tell what kind of crime someone would commit by the way they looked, for instance murderers had bloodshot eyes and curly hair, and sex offenders had thick lips and protruding ears.
State strengths of Lombroso’s theory.
- Lombroso was the first person to give criminology scientific credibility
- Lombroso challenged the idea that criminals are evil or that they choose to be criminal.
- His work heralded the beginnings of offender profiling.
- Charles Goring (1913) found a low-order intelligence in convicts, suggesting some genetic base to criminality.
- Several pieces of research suggest that less attractive individuals are more likely to be considered guilty.
- Lombroso labelled prisons ‘criminal universities’, suggesting prisoners came out much worse than they went in. Given today’s recidivism rate this is very perceptive.
State weaknesses of Lombroso’s theory
- Lombroso didn’t use a control group (he only used the skulls/photographs of criminals), and only looked at men, so we can’t make comparisons.
- Scientific racism - DeLisi (2012) indicated that many of the atavistic features are specific to people of African descent.
- Not everyone with atavistic features is criminal, and not all criminals have atavistic features.
- Charles Goring (1913) used a non-criminal control group, and found no significant differences in terms of behaviour.
- Lack of accuracy due to possible disfigurements.
- Lombroso’s theory is extremely deterministic and assumes that we cannot escape destiny.
Damage to which part of the brain can cause altered behaviour patterns?
How does it affect behaviour?
Several studies have suggested that damage to the pre-frontal cortex can cause individuals to become more immature and have an increased loss of self control and an inability to modify their behaviour.
What did Raine et al.’s 1994 study involve?
Raine et al. used PET scans (positron emission tomography) to study the living brains of impulsive killers. They found damage in the pre-frontal cortex of the criminals, the part of the brain that controls impulsive behaviour.
