Psychological explanations: Eysenck's theory Flashcards
Describe Eysenck’s theory.
Proposed behaviour could be represented along two dimensions: introversion-extraversion and neuroticism-stability.
Two combine to form personality characteristics/ traits.
Third dimension added- psychoticism-sociability
Describe the biological basis of Eysenck’s theory.
Personality traits biological origin, come about through type of nervous system we inherit.
All personality types have innate, bio basis.
What are the three personality types?
Extraverts, neurotic and psychotic.
Describe the three personality traits, in terms of biology.
Extraverts- underactive nervous system, seek excitement, stimulation, engage in risk-taking behaviours. Don’t condition easily, don’t learn from mistakes.
Neurotic- high lvl reactivity in sympathetic nervous system- respond quickly to threat situations. Nervous, instability- behaviour difficult to predict.
Psychotic- high levels testosterone, unemotional, prone to aggression.
Definition of criminal personality.
feature Eysenck’s crime theory, individual scores highly on measures of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism, can’t be easily conditioned, unfeeling, engage in offending behaviour.
describe the 3 personality traits in terms of criminal personality.
Extraverts- seek arousal, engage in dangerous activities.
Neurotics- unstable, prone to overreact to situations of threat.
Psychotics- aggressive, lack empathy.
Explain how personality is linked to offending behvaiour via socialisation.
Offending behaviour immature, concerned with immediate gratification- kids taught to delay gratification and more socially oriented.
PP with high E and N scores had nervous systems made them difficult to condition- less likely learn anxiety responses to antisocial impulses, likely act antisocially when opportunity presented.
How do you measure criminal personality?
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).
psych test locates respondents along E (extraverts), N (neurotics) and P (psychotic), determine personality type.
Data enables conducting research relating personality variables to other behaviours, criminality
Describe a strength of Eysenck’s theory in terms of evidence supporting criminal personality.
Eysenck and Eysenck compared 2070 prisoners scores on EPQ with 2422 controls.
Measures E, N, P- across all age groups sampled- prisoners recorded higher average scores than controls.
Agrees with predictions of theory that offender’s rate higher than average across three dimensions (personalities) Eysenck identified.
Give a counterpoint for evidence supporting criminal personality.
David Farrington et al- meta-analysis relevant studies, reported offenders tended score high on measures of P, not E and N.
Inconsistent evidence of difference on EEG measures between extraverts and introverts- casts doubt on physiological basis of Eysenck’s theory.
Some central assumptions of criminal personality challenged.
Give a imitation of Eysenck’s theory, in terms of the idea that all offending behaviour is explained only by personality traits.
Moffitt- drew distinction between offending behaviour, only occurs in adolescence, continues into adulthood.
Personality traits alone poor predictor of how long offending behvaiour go on for (someone likely become ‘career offender’).
Persistence in offending behaviour result of reciprocal process between individual personality traits and environment reaction to traits.
Presents complex picture than Eysenck suggested, course offending behvaiour determined by interaction between personality and environment.
Give a limitation of Eysenck’s theory, in terms of cultural factors not being considered.
Criminal personality varies according to culture.
Bartol and Holanchock- studied Hispanic and African American offenders in max security prison.
Researchers divided offenders in 6 groups based on offending history/ nature of offences.
Found all less extravert than non-offender control group, Eysenck expect more extravert.
Suggested this is because sample was different cultural group from that investigated by Eysenck.
Questions how far criminal personality can be generalised, culturally relative concept.
