Psychological explanations: Eysenck’s theory Flashcards
What did Eysenck propose?
That behaviour could be represented along two dimensions: introversion-extroversion and neuroticism-stability.
What is the third dimension which Eysenck later added?
Psychotocism-sociability
What did Eysenck say our personality traits are?
Biological in origin and come about through the type of nervous system we inherit.
Extroverts
- underactive nervous system - they constantly seek excitement, stimulation and are likely to engage in risk taking behaviours.
- tend not to condition easily so don’t learn from their mistakes.
Neurotic
- high level of reactivity in the sympathetic nervous system
- respond to quickly to situations of threat and so tend to be nervous, jumpy and overanxious
- general instability means behaviour is often difficult to predict
Psychotic
higher levels of testosterone and unemotional and prone to aggression
What is the criminal personality type?
neurotic-extravert-psychotic
What are neurotics?
Unstable and prone to overreact to situations of threat.
What do extraverts seek?
More arousal and thus engage in dangerous activities.
what are psychotics?
aggressive and lack empathy.
What is personality linked to in Eysneck’s theory?
Offending behaviour through socialisation processes.
How did Eysenck see offending behaviour?
As developmentally immature - selfish and concerned with immediate gratification.
Through the process of socialisation what are children taught to become more able to delay?
Gratification and ore socially orientated.
What did Eysenck believe people with high E and N scores had?
Nervous systems which made them difficult to condition and so are less likely to learn anxiety responses to antisocial impulses and so they would become more likely to act antisocially in situations where opportunity presented itself.
What did Eysenck develop?
The Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ)
What is the EPQ?
A form of psychological test which locates respondents along the E, N and P dimensions to determine their personality type.
What did the measurement of personality allow Eysenck to do?
Conduct research relating personality variables to other behaviours e.g. criminality.
Evaluation: Research support
Eysenck and Eysenck compared 2070 male prisoners scores on the EPQ with 2422 male controls and found that prisoners scored higher on scores of E,N and P which using Eysenck’s theory is what is expected.
Evaluation: Theory maybe incomplete
Digman suggested a five factor mode to expand Eysenck’s theory. Digman added openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness alongside Eysneck’s E and N which suggests that Eysenck’s theory may not be fully complete and needs more research into it.
Evaluation: Cultural bias
Bartol and Holanchok studied Hispanic and African-American offenders in a maximum security prison in New York who were divided into 6 groups based on criminal history and nature of offence. They found all 6 groups to be less extrovert than a non-criminal control group which suggests this was because Eysenck’s samples were a very different cultural group which questions generalisability.
Evaluation: biological basis
Eysencks’ theory fits well with other biological explanations such as Lombroso’s atavistic form. There is also some overlap with research into APD and the suggestion that offenders are cold, uncaring and incapable of empathy.
