psychological theories-LO2

Question 1

Eysenck’s criminal personality

Answer 1

people’s personality is made up of 3 traits …

Question 2

what are they ?

Answer 2

Introversion (overstimulated) /extroversion (under stimulated)

. Neurotic (emotional/anxious/irrational/emotionally unstable) /stable (emotionally level)

. Psychotic (no/low empathy) /nonpsychotic (empathic)

Question 3

Link to criminality

Answer 3

. Criminals are more likely to be extroverted as they lack stimulation so seek thrill (crime)

. Criminals are more likely to be neurotic as they don’t think clearly or rationally)

. Criminals are more likely to be psychotic as they lack empathy or feelings of guilt

. High scoring on the neurotic and psychotic scale and extroversion= more likely to commit crime.

Question 4

Why is this individualistic theory different ?

Answer 4

Its less reductionist than other theories

.as it considers biological and social factors.

Question 5

What else did he believe?

Answer 5

Criminals are developmentally immature- concerned with immediate gratification. They are impatient.

. By the process of socialisation children are typically taught delayed gratification-criminals may not have been taught this because Extroversion and Neuroticism are difficult to condition.

Question 6

. cognition=

Answer 6

refers to our thinking and mental processes

Question 7

. Cognitive theorists argue=

Answer 7

it is our thinking that shapes behaviour

Question 8

2nd psychological theory =

Answer 8

Kohlberg moral development

Question 9

What did he find?

Answer 9

Using the ‘moral dilemma technique’ Kohlberg found that a group of violent youths were significantly lower in their moral development than non-violent youths.

He believes criminals are underdeveloped in their morality.

Question 10

3 stages of moral development

Answer 10

Pre-conventional = (3-7) = moral reasoning is based on reward and punishment

Conventional= (8-13) = moral reasoning is based on external ethics

Post-conventional = (adulthood) = moral reasoning is based on personal ethics

Question 11

Relation to criminality

Answer 11

Offenders will try to avoid punishment and gain rewards

. According to Kohlberg criminals don’t progress past the post-conventional stage- they act on a basis of gaining rewards and avoiding punishment.

. Therefore, if they avoid punishment they will continue the criminal behaviour.