Week 5 (38-52) reading

Question 1

What is the ‘behavioural consistency’ and the ‘homology assumption’? (crime)

Answer 1

• Stable generalised dispositions over long periods

- Similarity of both offenders means (characterisitics) means the more similar actus reus nature of crime.

Question 2

Barnum effect

Answer 2

Accepting vague personality descriptions and relating back to themselves.

Question 3

Strength of the evidence supporting behavioural consistency and the homology assumption

Answer 3

Behavioural consistency: little intercorrelation between behaviours and attributed personality traits
Homology assumption: study of rapists (n=100) - with similar behaviours, offence and background characteristics. Neither age, social demographic, nor previous convictions reliably linked to offence behaviour.