Theories of Crime Flashcards
List the three broad classifications of theories of crime.
- Biological; - Sociological/Criminological; - Psychological.
List five biological theories of crime.
- Humours; - Phrenology; - Body Types; - Chromosomal Abnormality; - Modern Biological/Neurological.
List two sociological/criminological theories of crime.
- Differential association; - Strain.
List five psychological theories of crime.
- Psychoanalytic; - Behavioural; - Social learning; - Humanistic; - Cognitive thinking.
What is meant by the term ‘perspectives on human nature’?
Seeks to determine why people are the way they are.
What are the seven elements that are used when looking at perspectives on human nature?
- Nature vs. nurture; - Past vs. present; - Freewill vs. determinism; - Uniqueness vs. universality; - Equilibrium vs. growth; - Good vs. evil; - Rational vs. irrational.
What does the question of nature vs. nurture ask?
Are people born the way they are, or do they learn to be who they are?
What does the question of past vs. present ask?
Are people more influenced by their past or present experiences?
What does the question of freewill vs. determinism ask?
Are people’s behaviours the result of the choices they make through free will or are they determined?
What does the question of uniqueness vs. universality ask?
Are people unique or are they guided by universal laws of human behaviour and cognition?
What does the question of equilibrium vs. growth ask?
Are people able to grow and develop (change) throughout life or do they reach a certain stage and remain there?
What does the question of good vs. evil ask?
Are people basically good or evil?
What does the question of rational vs. irrational ask?
Are people basically rational or irrational?
List two characteristics of biological theories of crime.
- Tend to be deterministic; - Based heavily on the body.
What century was the ‘humours’ theory of crime established?
4th.
Who was responsible for the ‘humours’ theory of crime?
Galen and Hippocrates.
What did the ‘humours’ theory of crime argue?
That personality (including criminal tendencies) were based on an imbalance of fluids, called humours, in the body.
List the four types of humours.
- Melancholic: black bile; - Choleric: yellow bile; - Sanguine: blood; - Phlegmatic: phlegm.
List the personality characteristics of each type of humour.
- Melancholic: sad and depressive; - Choleric: cranky and easily upset; - Sanguine: changeable and temperamental; - Phlegmatic: inactive and apathetic.
Identify what types of crime are associated with each type of humour.
- Choleric: common assualt; - Sanguine: crimes of passion (murder, rape and assualt); - Phlegmatic: fencing of the gods.
Identify what season each of the humours are associated with.
- Melancholic: autumn; - Choleric: summer; - Sanguine: spring; - Phlegmatic: winter.
Identify what element each of the humours are associated with.
- Melancholic: earth; - Choleric: fire; - Sanguine: air; - Phlegm: water.
Identify what organ each of the humours are associated with.
- Melancholic: gall bladder; - Choleric: spleen; - Sanguine: liver; - Phlegm: brains/lungs.
In what year was the ‘body types’ theory of crime established?
1949.
Who was responsible for the ‘body types’ theory of crime?
William Sheldon.
List the three types of body types.
- Endomorphic; - Ectomorphic; - Mesomorphic.
List the physical characteristics of the endomorphic body type.
- Big; - High body fat/tendency to store fat; - Pear-shaped.
List the physical characteristics of the ectomorphic body type.
- Lean; - Long; - Difficulty building muscle.
List the physical characteristics of the mesomorphic body type.
- Muscular; - Well built; - High metabolism; - Responsive muscle cells.
List the personality characteristics of the endomorphic body type.
- Love of comfort; - Good humoured; - Need for affection.
List the personality characteristics of the ectomorphic body type.
- Socially anxious; - Mentally intense; - Emotionally restrained; - Preference for privacy.
List the personality characteristics of the mesomorphic body type.
- Adventurous; - Desire for power and dominance; - Love of risk; - Indifferent to what others think.
List the criminal likelihood of the endomorphic body type.
- Unlikely.
List the criminal likelihood of the ectomorphic body type.
- Non physical crimes; - Crimes motivated by jealousy.
List the criminal likelihood of the mesomorphic body type.
- Violent crimes; - Crimes requiring strength and speed.
What does the ‘body types’ theory of crime suggest?
That there are three distinct body types, each of which is related to a personality type.
Who was responsible for the ‘phrenology’ theory of crime?
Franz Joseph Gall.
What did the ‘phrenology’ theory of crime suggest?
That one’s personality is reflected by the shape of their skull.
In what year was the ‘chromosomal abnormality’ theory of crime established?
1965.
What does the ‘differential association’ theory of crime suggest?
That individual’s can learn to become criminals through association with others who hold criminal beliefs, attitudes and motivations, and that involvement in this group makes it easier for an individual to commit a crime.
What does the ‘strain’ theory of crime suggest?
That crime is a product of individual’s with a lower SES experiencing tension due to the fact their their economic situation blocks them from attaining higher goals other than through criminal activity.
Who was the founding father of the ‘psychoanalytic’ theory of crime.
Sigmund Freud.
When was the ‘psychoanalytic’ theory of crime mainstream?
1890-1930.
What did Freud suggest?
That our personality is composed of three structures.
List the structures that Freud believed comprised our personality.
- Id; - Ego; - Superego.