XYY syndrome (biological explanation)

Question 1

What are the symptoms of XYY syndrome?

Answer 1

XYY can cause behavioural symptoms which may cause criminal behavior. Someone who has an extra Y chromosome may display explosive temper, antisocial behaviour, self empathy and overly aggressive behaviour. They often have a slower speech development or lower IQ than normal.

Question 2

What are the physical traits of XYY?

Answer 2

Males that have XYY syndrome are typically around 7cm than average. They will have a lower muscle tone, very curved pinky finger, widely spaced eyes, broader hips and longer limbs. XYY will have delayed physical development.

Question 3

What is the XYY syndrome theory?

Answer 3

XYY theory focuses on the genetic make up of a person and the abnormalities. The XYY theory results do not come the heredity but, from the random mutations in a chromosome formation. In XYY syndrome, a male is both with an additional Y chromosome which only affects male.

Question 4

Any treatments?

Answer 4

There is no cure but there are treatments that can help with specific symptoms. Hormonal therapy, occupational therapy and additional help at school.

Question 4

Link to criminal behaviour

Answer 4

XYY is associated with criminal behaviour through impulsive behaviour and a lack of intelligence. Explosive and antisocial behaviour may link to violent criminal acts towards people propertys.

Question 5

Generalisability

Answer 5

Samples from research are narrow as it often just uses prisoners who are already convicted. Therefore it is hard to draw a cause and effect as XYY have a lower IQ which may be why they got sent to prison.

XYY only affects males, therefore cannot account for female criminals, lacking generalisability.

Question 6

Deterministic/individual differences

Answer 6

It is deterministic as it has the idea that if you have XYY then you will be more aggressive and commit crime. It tends to ignore the idea of free will/individual difference. People with XYY don’t always commit crimes.
Cannot account for individual differences - 1 in 1000 in population, therefore it only accounts for XYY not criminals living a stable life.

Question 7

Credibility

Answer 7

When identifying XYY, only looking at the physical traits is unreliable as these are often hard to see or decipher whether someone has XYY. Therefore this lowers the credibility.
People may be misjudged as looking or being perceived as a criminal which may cause them to get into more criminal acts.

Question 8

Labelling / SFP

Answer 8

Males with XYY may be labelled as aggressive. This could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy as they may begin to believe their labels causing them to act in a certain way. This can dangerous if police and court adapt this view, this could explain over representation in prisons.

Question 9

Alternative explanations

Answer 9

SLT may be a better explanation as XYY syndrome doesn’t consider environmental factors such as a role model. A male may observe the behaviour on TV or in person and imitate the criminal behaviour.

Also, low cognitive functioning could be due to brain injury not XYY which may cause the antisocial and impulsive behaviour, that results in criminal behaviour e.g. damage to the amygdala lead to a lack of control.

Question 10

Third factor

Answer 10

There may be a third factor affecting criminal behaviour such as their own morals and beliefs where they may believe certain offences.

Question 11

Scapegoating

Answer 11

Scapegoating says that all people with XYY will be violent and commit crime. This may make an excuse for them. They will have a lack of responsibility for their behaviour resulting in a lack of motivation in rehabilitation and increased recidivism.

Question 12

Applications

Answer 12

A application to society of stereotyping. XYY males are no more aggressive then the general population, just have learning difficulties but stereotypes cause people to fear them. We need to change the out dated theoretical view.

Early intervention at school using speech therapy and asserting right form wrong can help to reduce criminal behaviour and stereotypes.

Question 13

Theilguard (1984)

Answer 13

Theilguard looked for a criminal gene and studied blood samples of over 30,000 men born in the 1940’s. He found 2 chromosomal abnormalities - XXY chromosome pattern and XYY pattern. XYY males had slightly lower levels of intelligence then average and tended to be aggressive towards others.