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Criminal Psychology (XXY Syndrome: (This occurs in 1:1000 male births.…
Criminal Psychology
XXY Syndrome:
This occurs in 1:1000 male births. Occurs through a random mutation rather than a inherited condition. Referred to as 47 XYY due to the extra chromosome.
More likely to get in trouble with the police when compared to XY males. Most never discover they have the disorder.
When compared to siblings, they are taller, experience sever acne, more sensitive to ADHD and more liekly to be autistic. although have an average IQ 10-15 points lower
Evidence:
Jacobs: suggested that xyy males are over represented in prisons. 15 in every thousand. So limits what XYY tells us about the role of XYY as a cause of crime.
Gotz: 17 XYY males out of over 17,000 Scottish males who had been involved in crime tended to be property crime rather than violent crime
Stocholm: Risk of convictions is moderately increased for XYY but if socioeconomic factors: education, fatherhood are controlled. Found crime rates are similar to the control sample except sexual abuse and arson.
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Personality
Eysenck argues that personality is determined by an individual;s biological constitution, determined by their genes. So Eysenck developed a test to measure peoples temperament- Eysenck Personality Inventory. It was suggested that people who scored high on extroversion, nueroticism and psychoticism would be likely to commit crimes.
Neurotics tend to be nervous, jumpy and anxious as well as prone to physical ailments such as headaches and stomach upsets. These characteristics can leas someone high in neuroticism to over-react in situations and so are more likely to commit crimes. Neuroticism is controlled by the autonomic nervous system which releases hormones such as adrenaline making any reaction to stimulus stronger showing the over-reaction that can lead to criminality..
Psychoticism is characterised by being egocentric, impulsive, lacking empathy and being socially withdrawn. It is linked to levels of testosterone which would support the fact that more males than females commit crimes due to higher levels of testosterone and psychoticism
Extroverts have a high need for excitement, are impulsive and optimistic and lose their temper easily. They are harder to condition and so are likely not do to as they are told when they are younger or care about society’s disapproval or punishment for behaviour when older
Evidence:
Eysenck et al(77) found that criminals that score highly on E,N and P when compared to non criminals. Property offenders scored higher on E and P showing crime can be predicted as linked to internal bio factros,
Boduzek et al- Hiher levels of E were a good predictor of the probability of repeat offenders committing violent acts allowing predictions to be made.
Barton et al- compared EPI scores of inmates in a max-security prison with a ethnicity matched control group. Found the criminals were less extroverted than the control group showing personality may not be a factor .
Social Learning Theory
Attention: Paying attention to the criminal and the behavior they display.
Retention: Retaining the relevant parts of the criminal behavior that has been displayed
Reproduction: reproducing the criminal behavior that was previously observed
Motivation- intrinsic: innate motivations, personal motivation
Extrinsic- gain something from the motivation
Vicarious reinforcement; See someone else gain from something and want that gain.
Evidence
Scott (1995): found that playing aggressive video games did not make undergraduates more aggressive when their scores on an EPQ were compared before and after playing 3 different violent games. showing other factors are involved
Polman(2007) found playing violent video games had a bigger influence on aggression levels of males than simply watching TV violence showing that it is not just about observing the violence but getting the opportunity.
Anderson (2203) found that college students who heard violent songs felt more hostile than those who heard similar but non-violent songs, supporting that paying attention to violence can lead to it being retained.
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Definitions
Crime: Is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority
Anti-social behavior: wide range of unacceptable activity that causes harm to an individual or to their community/environment
Aggression: Feelings of anger which may result in hostile or violent behavior or readiness to attack
Violence: intentional use of physical force or power against self or another person
Recidivism: the rate at which convicted criminals re-offend
Explanations of Criminal and Anti-social Behavior:
All explanations can be placed within the nature-nurture continuum. An in-born trait, biochemical abnormalities or faulty brain structure. Or as learned behavior, our upbringing, stereotypes and labels.