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Criminal Behaviour Explanations (Biological Explanations (Amygdala…

- - - - Almond sized brain structure
      - One in each hemisphere
      - Located in medial temporal lobe
      - Highly connected to other brain structures (PFC/hippocampus) to form limbic system (region of brain associated with emotion)
    - - Amygdala = detects threat, raise alert to initiate fight/flight response
      - Guard dog
      - Overactive = perceive mild/non threatening situations are more threatening than really are
      - Can lead to over aggressive response (kill or be killed)
      - Lashing out
      - Research Ev = Coccaro
        
        fMRI scans
        
        IED and normal people
        
        Images of various facial expressions
        
        Angry faces = high amygdala activity in IED group
    - - Fail to recognise threatening situations
      - Can lead to immunity from childhood fear conditioning
      - Don't detect threat associated with a stern look/certain tone of voice used by parents to warn children to change behaviour
      - Don't learn to regulate behaviour or find more socially acceptable ways to behave
      - Grow up to be fearless, aggressive and antisocial
      - Research Ev - Yu Gao
        
        1795 ppts tested for fear reaction aged 3 - tested through sweat levels
        
        Age 23 criminals = no fear reaction age 3
        
        Longitudinal - less chance of ppt variables - can establish C&E
  - - - Proposes 1+ genes (polygenic) predispose individuals to CB
      - Raine's Twin Study
        
        Reviewed twin studies of delinquency
        
        MZ Twins (identical) = 52% correspondence rate
        
        DZ Twins (non-identical) = 21% correspondence rate
    - - Defective = warrior gene
      - Responsible for producing MAOA enzyme - breaks down excess serotonin in synapse
      - Defected = not working at all (rare) or low activity (common)
      - Defective MAOA gene = less MAOA enzymes produced = more excess serotonin in synapse = unstable moods = criminal behaviour (assault)
      - Brunner’s Dutch Study
        
        Studied 28 males from a dutch family due to their aggressive nature and violent crime (rape/murder)
        
        Found 14/28 had a defected MAOA gene - did not work at all
    - - Involved in communication between brain cells
      - Linked to control of impulsive behaviour
      - Defective CHD13 gene often found alongside defective MAOA gene
      - Defect = less control over impulses = criminal behaviour (assault)
- - - - Extraverts seek stimulation through criminal activity
      - Determined by the innately under aroused nature of their nervous system
      - Seek more external stimulation to increase cortical arousal
      - Leads to engaging in dangerous/thrill seeking criminal behaviours (armed robbery/car theft)
    - - Neurotics overreact, get upset too easy - may engage in aggressive criminal behaviours
      - Higher levels of arousal in sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response)
      - Respond strongly to aversive stimuli - respond with socially inappropriate behaviour (aggression/violence)
    - - Lack empathy, aggressive and solitary
      - Linked to high testosterone levels
    - - Eysenck = these individuals are less easily conditioned so don’t learn to avoid anti-social behaviour
      - Criminal behaviour is a result of an interaction between
        
        Our innate biologically determined personality
        
        Socialisation (learning experiences eg. conditioning)
  - - - Form of irrational thinking that lead to reality becoming distorted/twisted
      - Can be powerful in crim behaviour - can allow offenders to rationalise or deny their behaviour
    - - Making negative interpretations of other’s actions - someone may smile and they interpret it as laughing at them
      - May lead to them acting aggressively
      - Links to crime as a result of aggression
    - - Consequences of a situation are under exaggerated
      - Criminal may steal from wealthy family and think it will have little effect as can afford it
      - Explains how offenders can reduce any negative interpretation of crime, helps to accept consequences by reducing guilt
      - Could lead to repeat offending
- - - - From sociologist Edwin Sutherland
      - Suggested we learn pro-crime attitudes and crim behaviour from associating with pro-crime norms and values and observing others engaging in crim behaviour - Bandura’s study
    - - Influence strength depends on 3 things:
        
        Meaning (how much we care about opinion)
        
        Frequency (how often an interaction)
        
        Length (how long our interaction is)
      - Therefore more influenced by close people (best friends/family)
      - Referred to as intimate personal groups
    - - Attitude towards crime (favourable/unfavourable) - theft from a business favourable, mugging unfavourable
      - Motivation (what’s in it for us)
      - Techniques (how to)
      - Justification for committing crime
    - - First learn behaviour by observing others carrying out crime
      - Seeing them gain rewards = vicarious reinforcement
      - Commit crime yourself - operant conditioning dictates how likely repetition is
  - - - Recent stats (Dec 2017) show 95% of prison pop are male
      - Suggested due to result of how we socialise boys and girl & differing norms/accepted behaviours for each gender
    - - Socialisation = process we learn norms/customs/skills necessary to participate in society
      - Boys = encouraged to be risk takers and tough
      - Girls = more closely supervised and controlled
      - Growing up = boys more inclined to engage in risky/physically aggressive behaviour
      - Boys have more opportunity to engage in these behaviours, not as closely monitored as girls
    - - Sociologist Cohen - further developed important role of parents in gender socialisation
      - Argued during childhood same sex parent is important role model for learning appropriate behaviour
      - Girls - usually have easy access to mother
      - Boys - traditionally father may be less available due to working long hours/not living with them
      - Sons may seek alt role models and turn to peer group
      - Male peer groups ‘reward’ through acceptance and high status, ‘masculine’ behaviours (rule breaking and being tough)
      - Criminal behaviour enables such behaviours to be demonstrated and such rewards elicited