Topic 1: What makes a criminal? Background

Question 1

What is a generalist criminal?

Answer 1

Criminals who commit a range of different types of crimes.

Question 2

What is a specialist criminal?

Answer 2

Criminals who commit specific types of crimes such as only murder or only theft.

Question 3

What do physiological explanations of criminal behavior propose?

Answer 3

They propose that criminal behavior is due to genetic tendencies acquired at birth, often linked to evolution and the idea of “survival of the fittest.”

Question 4

According to Sheldon (1942), what body type is most associated with criminality, and what are its characteristics?

Answer 4

Sheldon identified mesomorphs as most likely to be criminals. Mesomorphs are described as muscular, hard, aggressive, adventurous, and often perceived as having a criminal appearance.

Question 5

How does the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) serve as a counterpoint to physiological explanations like Sheldon’s theory?

Answer 5

SFP suggests that if people are told they have a criminal look (as with mesomorphs), they may internalize this label and behave accordingly, implying that societal labeling, not just innate traits, can lead to criminal behavior.

Question 6

What physical features did Lombroso (1876) associate with criminals?

Answer 6

Lombroso claimed that criminals tend to have distinct features such as a prominent jaw, large ears, and pronounced brow ridges.

Question 7

What is a major criticism of Lombroso’s theory on the physical traits of criminals?

Answer 7

Lombroso’s theory is criticized for ignoring personal factors such as free will, moral values, and religious beliefs that also influence behavior.

Question 8

What did Jacobs et al (1965) find regarding XYY men and criminal behavior?

Answer 8

They found that XYY men are more aggressive than XY men, representing just 0.001% of the population but accounting for 1.5% of the prison population.

Question 9

What is a potential counterpoint to the idea that a genetic mutation leads directly to criminal behavior?

Answer 9

A genetic mutation might lead to traits like a lower understanding of right and wrong, but it does not guarantee that an individual will have a criminal mind or engage in criminal behavior.

Question 10

What did Osborn & West (1979) find regarding the influence of a criminal father on the likelihood of sons becoming criminals?

Answer 10

They discovered that 40% of sons with criminal fathers became criminals compared to 13% of sons with non-criminal fathers, though many sons with criminal fathers did not turn to crime, suggesting other factors also play a role.

Question 11

How do twin studies, such as those by Lyons et al (1995), contribute to our understanding of genetic influences on criminal behavior?

Answer 11

Twin studies show that identical (MZ) twins exhibit similar criminal behaviors, especially in adulthood when there are fewer social restrictions, supporting the role of genetic influences.

Question 12

What counterpoint is raised regarding the findings from twin studies on criminal behavior?

Answer 12

The counterpoint is that adulthood behavior might be influenced by childhood experiences; thus, criminal behavior in adulthood could be a result of both genetic predispositions and the impact of one’s childhood environment.

Question 13

What do adoption studies indicate about the roles of genetics and environment in influencing criminal behavior?

Answer 13

Adoption studies reveal that both genetics and environment play significant roles. Sons with criminal records are more likely to have a criminal record if their biological, adoptive, or both sets of parents have criminal records, with the risk increasing when both factors are present.

Question 14

Define the self-fulfilling prophesy.

Answer 14

The idea that if someone labels another person, they will become what they have been labelled.

Question 15

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) in relation to criminal behavior?

Answer 15

SFP is the idea that if individuals are labeled or stereotyped (e.g., as aggressive or criminal), they may internalize the label and behave accordingly.

Question 16

How did Jahoda (1954) illustrate the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy using Ashanti children?

Answer 16

Jahoda found that Ashanti boys with Wednesday names were labeled as more aggressive and had a higher offending rate (22%) compared to Monday-named boys (7%), suggesting that societal expectations contributed to their behavior.

Question 17

What did Eron et al (1972) discover about the relationship between television viewing and aggression in children?

Answer 17

They found a positive correlation between watching TV programs and increased aggressiveness in children aged 7–8, with the effect being even stronger in teen boys.

Question 18

According to Trzesniewski et al (2006), how does self-esteem relate to criminal activity in teens versus adults?

Answer 18

Their study showed that teens with low self-esteem were more likely to participate in criminal activity compared to adults, indicating that self-esteem levels play a role in criminal behavior.

Question 19

What role do role models play in the development of criminal behavior, as demonstrated by Bandura et al (1961)?

Answer 19

Bandura and colleagues demonstrated that children are influenced by models through vicarious reinforcement and operant conditioning—if they see models being rewarded for criminal behavior, they are more likely to imitate it.

Question 20

What is vicarious reinforcement, and how does it relate to criminal behavior in children?

Answer 20

Vicarious reinforcement is when an observer sees someone rewarded for a behavior, which increases the likelihood that the observer will also perform that behavior—this process can encourage children to mimic criminal actions.

Question 21

What did Ageton and Elliot (1974) find regarding the impact of police and court treatment on young offenders?

Answer 21

They found that when young offenders were labeled as criminals by the justice system (through arrest and negative treatment), they internalized that label via the self-fulfilling prophecy, leading to further criminal activity; conversely, those not arrested maintained higher self-esteem.

Question 22

How does the self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) help explain the continuation of criminal behavior in young offenders?

Answer 22

SFP explains that once individuals are labeled as criminals (for example, by the criminal justice system), they may begin to view themselves through that lens and continue engaging in criminal acts, reinforcing the initial label.

Question 23

Summarize the non-physiological factors that research has linked to criminal behavior.

Answer 23

Non-physiological factors include societal labeling (SFP), exposure to violent media (TV programs), low self-esteem (particularly in teens), and the influence of role models through mechanisms like vicarious reinforcement and operant conditioning.