Download bio-explanations-of-criminal-behaviour

Biological Explanations of Criminal
Behaviour
• Objectives for topic
• Describe two biological explanations of Criminal
behaviour...
* Inherited Criminality – Genes !
*The Role of the Amygdala – Brain Structure!
• Be able to evaluate these explanations and
research evidence that supports or contradicts
them.
• To consider how this knowledge could be applied
to reduce/modify criminal behaviour
Big Picture
• Does our biology predispose us to criminality?
• Learning Focus:• Consider the nature/nurture debate in
Psychology
• Be able to describe recent evidence on the
importance of genes in criminality
Nature or Nurture?
Nature
Nurture
And the interaction
between them
Genes
Environment
Influences that occur outside
the individual could be
Pre-natal environment
Diet
Pollution
Family/peers
Media
Why is this a big question?
• A belief that criminality is genetic could lead
to practice of eugenics – selective breeding of
humans.
• Likewise a belief that behaviour is purely
down to environment may lead to harsh
regimes based on conditioning people.
• See textbook pg 91!
FLIPPED BIT
Inherited Criminality
Watch the film and use worksheet to
answer questions
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2aorOAY8o8
• Some Extras for you!
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6hF3-obvnA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRKbZtpBcgI
Questions
• Discuss answers from the programme
• How important do you think ‘nature’ is?
• How convincing was the evidence?
Have you ever bought a
pedigree pet? Have you noticed how
accurately they predict
characteristics like temperament,
preferences, reaction to other animals etc?
Lesson 2
• Big Picture – How are genetic influences in
criminality studied?
• Learning Focus:• To understand the term concordance rates
• Describe evidence for genetic influences on
criminality
• From twin studies
• From Gene Mapping
• From Brain Imaging
• Evaluate the evidence
Twin Studies
• Identical twins (Monozygotic)share 100% genes so any
difference between them should be 100% environmental
• Non-identical (Dyzygotic) share 50% genes so differences
between them should be 50% environmental and 50%
genetic
• If you tested the IQ of 100 pairs of twins and 62 pairs had
the same IQ then you have a 62% concordance rate for IQ
• OR you could also say you had a strong association
between genes shared and IQ score – expressed as a
correlation coefficient this would be 0.62
What would this suggest about how much the environment
effects our IQ?
• Demonstrate 25% , 50% and 100% concordance with your
Lego
Twin studies
With twin studies there are 2 methods
1.comparing Monozygotic twins with Dyzygotic twins
• Eg
• MZ 0.86
• DZ 0.46
What does this indicate? .
2.Comparing Monozygotic twins reared together with
monozygotic twins reared apart
Eg
Together 0.86
Apart 0.74
What does this indicate?
Adoption studies
• With adoption studies we tend to compare
the adopted child with the biological mother
and the adoptive mother to see which
correlation coefficient is highest
• Eg
• Child and adoptive mother 0.42
• Child and biological mother 0.72
Evidence for genetic influences
• Textbook pg 90
• Draw a line down the centre of your notes. Make a list
of these studies with a brief description on the left side
leaving space for evaluation on the right side.
• 1. Raine 1993
• 2. Brunner et al 1993
• 3. Raine 2004
• Extension – start considering the validity and reliability
of this evidence
Evaluation Task
• Textbook pg 91
• 1. How can adoption studies support the claim about
genes? See Crowe 1972
• 1. What factors may question the findings from twin
and adoption studies?
• 2. How reliable is gene mapping? Is there a warrior
gene that causes violent behaviour?
• 2. Read about Stephen Mobley – Is it right to claim you
are not responsible for your crimes if you have a faulty
gene? What is the issue with Deterministic
explanations?
• 3. How might the environment play a role ?(see
Diathesis Stress)
• 3. What might be the cause of brain differences
observed by Raine 2004?
Extension Task
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Read the ‘Neurolaw’ article
Question
What is the issue here with determinism?
What are the implications for society of
understanding the exact ‘causes’ of criminal
behaviour?
Keyword check
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Nature/nurture debate
Twin Studies
Monozygotic
Dyzygotic
Concordance rates
Gene mapping
MAOA gene
Diathesis-Stress
Lesson 3
• Big Picture – What role does the Amygdala
play in how we react and behave?
• Learning Focus:• To understand the structure and function of
the Amygdala
• To describe evidence suggesting Amygdala
malfunction is the cause of violent behaviour
FLIPPED BIT
Starter
• How much do you know about the structure
of the brain?
• Try labelling your diagram in your worksheet
as best you can.
• Textbook Page 92
• Where is the Amygdala? What system is it a
part of?
FLIPPED BIT
The Structure and Function of the
Amygdala See Pg 92
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What is it made of?
Where is it located?
How many are there?
What other brain structures are they linked to?
Who first suggested the Amygdala was
responsible for emotional behaviour?
• Why is it important in determining aggressive
behaviour?
Evidence of the link between the
Amygdala and Aggression
• Describe these studies briefly in your notes (Left
side, leaving space on the right)
• Coccaro et al 2007
• Yu Gao et al 2010
• Extension – Read about the cause of Psychopathy
on pg 92. What are the implications of these
findings? Can anything be done to change a
malfunctioning amygdala? See Gesch et al 2002
Evaluation Task
• Textbook pg 93
• How does Gospic et al (2011) support the amygdala
explanation for ‘hot-blooded’ aggression?
• Why does Pardini et al (2014) show predictive validity
of the explanation?
• What is a methodological issue with brain scanning as
a technique? Does it show cause and effect?
• How likely is it that the amygdala is the only brain
structure affecting aggression?
• How might the effect of the amygdala be indirect?
What does this imply for modifying the behaviour?
Keyword Check
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Amygdala
Amygdalae
Medial Temporal Lobe
Limbic System
Prefrontal Cortex
Orbitofrontal Cortex
FMRI
Psychopathy
Essay Plan
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Describe two biological explanations of criminal behaviour (10)
Intro Brief definition of criminal behaviour and outline
assumptions of biological approach – e.g genes or brain
structure are responsible therefore definite biological causes
can be indentified.
One explanation suggests there may be genes which make
people more aggressive. Outline twin studies – Raine and gene
mapping – Brunner
A Grade -Briefly explain Diathesis-Stress and how
environmental interacts with genes
A second explanation is from Neurocriminology, a growing field
that shows a link to a brain structure called the amygdala.
Outline briefly amygdala functions then outline evidence from
Coccaro
A Grade - Explain how effect of Amygdala may be indirect e.g
effect fearlessness
Alternative Essay Plan
Analyse and evaluate two explanations of criminal behaviour
(20)
• Intro Brief definition of criminal behaviour and outline assumptions of
biological approach – e.g genes or brain structure are responsible therefore
definite biological causes can be indentified. Alternatively other explanations
focus on inividual differences such as personality or cognitive factors.
• One explanation suggests there may be genes which make people more
aggressive. Outline twin studies – Raine and gene mapping – Brunner
• A Grade -Briefly explain Diathesis-Stress and how environmental interacts with
genes
• Evaluate biological explanations
• Analysis – What are the implications of biological explanations?
• A second explanation is from Individual Differences approach such as how
cognitive distortions can affect how we react.
• Explain Hostile attribution bias and outline evidence from Schonenberg and
Justye (2014)
• Evaluate the cognitive explanation
• Analysis – What does this explanation suggest about criminals? How might this
behaviour be modified?
• Conc – Which explanation has the most convincing evidence?