Download Personality

Individualistic Explanations
of Crime
Chapter 2
Why some of us do it? Why don’t we all do it?
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Seeks an understanding of variation in the
criminal behaviour of individuals
 Understanding
why some people are more in
to it than others
 Understanding how level of involvement may
vary over time, situations, & circumstances
 Seeks a theoretical, research-based and
practical understanding
Why some of us do it? Why don’t we all do it?
Social location theories
 Psychopathology
 Personal distress
 Criminal motivations (cause crime)
 Weak controls (cause crime)
 It’s in our genes
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Why some of us do it? Why don’t we all do it?
Victimization turns victims into offenders
 Patriarchy/Capitalism/A decadent society
 Being labelled a “criminal”
 The devil made me do it
 Your very own favourite theory……….
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Psychological Definition
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Does not exist per se
Experts attempt to
identify psychological
factors
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Early trauma
 Ways of learning
 Urge to commit acts
for pleasure or
excitement
 Personality disorders
Biological Factors and Crime
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“nature” view
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Actual makeup and individual psychology
Crime is product of heredity
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“bad seed” or “biology is destiny”
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Reductionist & deterministic
Implies heredity can make criminal behaviour unavoidable and
inevitable for some individuals
Several theories place cause of criminality firmly with the
individual, physical appearance and playing down the
role of social factors
Phrenology
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Franz Gall
Shapes & bumps reveal
a person’s character and
mental capacity
Each section of brain
was responsible for a
different aspect of human
functioning
External examinations
Phrenology’s Main Propositions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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The brain is the organ of the mind
The brain is the aggregation of about 30 separate
organs or faculties that function independently
The more active an organ, the larger its size
The relative size of the organs can be estimated by
inspecting contours of the skull
The relative size of the organs can be increased or
decreased through exercise and self-discipline
Suggests different gradations in severity of
behaviour and that people can change
Cesare Lombroso: The Criminal Gene
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ATAVISM (criminals represented a
savage, earlier form of mankind; not
fully developed)
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Argued that criminals were genetically
different from non-criminals
Behaviour is expression of inferior desires
& decision-making
Could tell criminals by physical features
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Asymmetrical skull; narrow, sloping brow
Flattened or crooked nose; prominent jaw
Large ears; high cheekbones; fat lips
Extra toes or fingers
The Criminal Gene?
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Not influential in study of deviance but introduced the
idea of causes beyond an individual’s control –
criminals born into their behavioural pattern
(challenged classical doctrine of punishment deterring
crime)
Suggests humans are ready made & not much hope
of change
Work was methodologically sloppy & biased
(craniometry & anthropometry to measure bodies &
categorize them into types that were linked to behaviour)

Interested in statistics
Constitutional Theories
Physique and Crime
 William Sheldon concluded that a
relationship existed between one’s
body type (somatotyping) and
personality
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 Suggested
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3 body types
Ectomorphs; endomorphs; mesomorphs
Somatotyping
Constitutional Theories: Physique and Crime
Endomorphs – soft, round, fun loving, relaxed and sociable
Mesomorphs – muscular, athletic, active, bold, adventurous &
aggressive
Ectomorphs – tall, thin, well developed brain, introverted, overly
sensitive, restrained, and nervous
The Link between Mesomorphy and Delinquency
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Are juvenile delinquents classified as
mesomorphs more predisposed to a life of
crime?
Do law enforcement officials hold a negative
view of mesomorphs that could possibly
influence the way they are dealt with (i.e. are
they ‘picked on’ more)?
Attractiveness or Unattractiveness
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Facial characteristics can
present a significant advantage
across situations and
experiences
Attractiveness or
‘babyfaceness’ – crime
connection?
Minor physical anomalies (MPAs)
(correlation?)
 asymmetrical
ears; webbed toes;
widely spaced eyes
Genetics & Antisocial Behaviour
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Examines the role of heredity and
environment, or “nature and nurture” in
development.
 Family
studies; Twin and adoption studies
 Methodological problems; contrasting findings
 Influence behaviour indirectly
Twin & Adoption Studies & Influence of Genes
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Some evidence for:
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Identical twins being more likely to exhibit similar patterns of
criminal behavior than fraternal twins
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Adopted children exhibiting similar patterns of delinquency to
their biological parents, rather than their adopted parents
 Problem
is that we cannot directly observe influence
of heredity (genes) so need methodology to
disentangle relative influence of heredity versus
environment
 Few studies of twins reared apart
BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
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Chromosomal abnormalities
 XYY
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syndrome & more violent behaviour
Biochemistry – ANS, allergies, environmental
conditions (lead, radiation), diet (food additives,
vitamin deficiencies), alcohol.
 Higher
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testosterone levels
Neurology – brain injuries, conditions of the
brain (ADHD); intelligence; temperament
 EEG
Psychological Theories
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Range of explanations
 Within
the individual to how a person makes sense of
and deals with the world
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Psychoanalytic: Freud
 Concerned
with causes for behaviour where no
physical or chemical reason could be determined
 Every mental process had a meaning – drives or
impulses that propel actions compel person to do
things to satisfy impulse
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Immediate gratification
Sublimation (acting out)
Attachment theory (maternal deprivation)
 Means
of satisfying impulses become more
sophisticated & socially acceptable
Defining Personality & Traits
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Personality: a person’s general style of
interacting with the world
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Trait: a characteristic of an individual,
describing a habitual way of behaving,
thinking and feeling
Eysenck’s Theory of Personality & Crime
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Interaction between environment and individual
nervous system (determined by physiology of brains)
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Certain personality types were predetermined to be
inclined towards crime
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Descendant of Lombroso’s theory
Extraverted personality = low cortical arousal = need to
energize their brain with excitement (stealing)
Introverted personality = high cortical arousal = less likely to be
involved in crime
Problem is assumption that categories are stable traits
(ignores social structure & context in which action takes
place)
Eysenck’s Model of Personality
Extraversion-Introversion Dimension
Introversion
Extraversion
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Retiring (shy)
Reserved (quite)
Likes solitary activities
Does not attend parties
More reactive to external stimuli
Lower pain tolerance
More easily conditioned
Most people fall within the middle ambiversion
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Outgoing & talkative
Wants many friends
Enjoys parties
Dislikes solitary activities
Dominates social situations
Sensation seeking
Restless in boring situations
Neuroticism Dimension
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Ranges from normal, fairly calm & collected
Autonomic arousal – “activation”
Problem with sympathetic hyperactivity
Reacts intensely to stress (overreact)
 Sensitive
limbic systems
 Moody; touchy; sensitive to put downs; anxious;
complainer
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Criminal behaviour associated with neurotic
extraverts (driven)
Psychoticism Dimension
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No proposed neurophysiological mechanism
Similar to psychopathy
a
certain recklessness
 a disregard for common sense or conventions
 a degree in inappropriate emotional expression
 “tough mindedness” – temperament or character?
 aggressive, cold and impersonal behaviour, disregard for
danger, troublesome behaviour, dislike of others, attraction
to the unusual
 associated with criminal tendencies (hostility)
Evidence for Eysenck’s Theory
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Highly influential
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Relationship between neuroticism and antisocial
behaviour: not fully supported
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Extraversion: inconsistent results; no strong
support
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Psychoticism: some support, little research
Cognition and Crime
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Cognitive styles in general
 How
people individuals think about people and their
actions
 Different cognitive styles?
 Concrete thinking, failure to empathize with others; lack of
trust; irresponsible decision-making, victim-role
Cognition and Crime
 Locus
of control
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Internal locus of control
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External locus of control
Cognition and Crime
 Attributional
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Processes
Hostile attribution bias
 Interpret others’ actions as hostile
 Lack of empathy (own perspective)
Social skills training
Restorative justice model
 Neutralization
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Excuses or rationalizations
 Poverty, denial of injury, denial of victim, appeal to higher
loyalties
Techniques of Neutralization
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Deny responsibility
Deny injury
Deny victim
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Condemn condemners
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Appeal to higher loyalty
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“I had to do it.” “I had no choice.”
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“They have insurance. “ “What’s 1 CD
to a store like Wal Mart?”
“They had it coming.” “ She shouldn’t
have talked back to me.”
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“Everyone is on the take.”
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“Only cowards back down.”
“I have to feed my family.”
Cognition and Crime
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Self-control
 Impulsive
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Problem-solving and decision-making
 Opposing
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views
Cognitive scripts
– how people should behave in certain
situations (inner narrative)
 Script
Cognition and Crime
Moral Development - Kohlberg
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Level 1: Pre-conventional
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Level 2: Conventional
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Stage1: Punishment and obedience orientation
Stage 2: Individualism and purpose
Stage 1: Good boy/girl orientation
Stage 2: Society – maintaing orientation
Level 3: Post-conventional
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Stage 1: Community rights vs. personal rights
Stage 2: Universal ethical principle orientation
Cognition and Crime
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Behaviour is result of individual, internal
factors
 E.g.,
issue of poverty
Not concerned with why higher rate of crime in
groups who are poor
 Focus on causes such as lower intelligence scores
 Standard research methods - statistical
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Summary of Biological Factors and Theories
Twin
Genetics
studies
Adoption studies
Birth
Environmental risk factors
complications
Exposure to drugs
Brain development
Neuropsychological factors
Body
Physique
shape
Attractiveness
Minor Physical Abnormalities
Extraversion
Eysenck’s theory
Neuroticism
Psychoticism
Interaction of Heredity and
Environment
Remember: neither genetics nor biology
“cause” crime
 Certain biological or genetic elements may
predispose some people to commit
antisocial acts
 Individualistic explanations not the whole
story
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