Psychological Explanation To Offending (Eysenck’s Theory Of Personality)

Question 1

Eysenck’s theory of personality

Answer 1

• Within this theory, it says that our personality is innate and has a biological basis, as well as it being genetic which predisposes us to offending
• He highlights a personality type known as the ‘criminal personality’

Question 2

Recipe for a criminal personality

Answer 2

• This theory suggests that all personalities are made up of certain traits and the extent to which you have those traits determines your personality
• Personality varies across 3 dimensions- neurotic, extrovert and psychoticism
• The theory views criminal being due to the activity of the nervous system attributed to specific personalities

Question 3

How does extraversion cause offending behaviour

Answer 3

• Extraversion is due to chronically under-aroused nervous system which leads to sensation seeking. This results in impulsive and nervous nature
• The thrill of committing a crime might draw them to offending behaviour

Question 4

How does neuroticism cause offending behaviour

Answer 4

• Those with higher neuroticism have greater activation and lower thresholds within the limbic system. This leads to an over-aroused sympathetic nervous system where emotional states are regulated (such as fear and aggression)
• As a result they react strongly to stressors, and are more likely to commit a crime in an emotionally charged situation

Question 5

How does psychoticism cause offending behaviour

Answer 5

• Those with high psychoticism have excess level of dopamine neurons, causing overproduction of dopamine. This leads to inhibition of impulses during synaptic transmission and potentially causing aggressive behaviour
• Those with high psychoticism may also have excess levels of testosterone
• They are more likely to commit a crime as they are aggressive and lack conscience

Question 6

Environmental element

Answer 6

• A person is born with certain personality traits, but it is the interaction with the environment that is key in the development of criminality

Question 7

Eysenck’s personality questionnaire

Answer 7

• This measures where an individual is along the extravert, neurtotic and psychotic dimensions to determine their personality type
• It also includes a falsification scale for the detection of response distortion (with a lie score out of 9). This measures how socially desirable you are trying to be in your answers

Question 8

Eysenck (1977)- support for criminal personality

Answer 8

• He compared 2070 male prisoners score on EPQ and 2422 male controls
• They were sub-divided into age group (16-69 years)
• Across all age groups, prisoners recorded higher scores on EPQ than control

Question 9

Evaluation of criminal personality

Answer 9

• Cultural bias as Eysenck studied mainly white Western Europeans, guilty of fairly minor crimes (therefore unrepresentative)
• Socially desirable is a potential issue in the questionnaire
• It is also quite an oversimplification of classification of criminals (there are other variables that cause offending behaviour)