Criminal Behaviour Explanations
Biological Explanations
Amygdala
What Is It?
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)
Overactive
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
Underactive
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
Genes
Argument
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
MAOA Gene
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
CDH13 Gene
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)
Individual Differences Explanations
Personality
High Extraversion
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)
High Neuroticism
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)
High Psychoticism
Lack empathy, aggressive and solitary
Linked to high testosterone levels
Socialisation
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)
Cognitive Distortions
What Are They?
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
Hostile Attribution Bias
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
Minimalisation
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
Social Psychological Explanations
Differential Association Theory
What It Is
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 of a Group
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
What We Learn
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
How We Learn
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
Gender Socialisation
What It 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
Differing Socialisation and Opportunity
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
Same Sex Role Model
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