Psychology AO1 AO3 Essay Plan (eval)
Biological explanations of crime Supports
Acquired brain injuries - ABIs Williams et al analysed data from 169 inmates of a UK prison
Those with brain damage at a younger age can increase their risk in their children, over 60% remembered the incident of brain
of crime in the future. Brain injuries alter the brain structure, injuries. Tendencies showed that the younger the time of
causing faulty function by causing the brain to misfire. The brain brain injury, the higher the rate of criminal activity in the last
is not mature until age 25, so childhood brain damage can lead to 5 years.
developmental issues with cognitive function like decision and
impulse control. Fazel et al analysed data in the Swedish population over 5
years on the correlation between traumatic brain injury and
Amygdala, the amygdala is a section of the brain that is implicit in rate of criminal activity. Found a higher percentage in ABI
the function of aggression and impulse control. patients 8.8% compared to normal 3%.
Competing - this is an analysis of data, it cannot control
Pardini et al 2014 - conducted neuroimaging scans on 26 year old other factors and therefore is only a correlation.
men. Men were split into 2 groups - a normal sized amygdala and
a reduced amygdala volume. 3 years later, the reduced amygdala Amygdala Competing - the image of OFC and frontal lobe.
volume group was 3 times more likely to be aggressive and Phineas Gage overcame a metal pole to his head that removed
violent. For example, the amygdala is responsible for coordinating much of his frontal lobe, but after this he became much
responses for threats in the environment. more aggressive. Close friends and others commented that he
became a different person after the incident.
Gao et al conducted a longitudinal study which concluded that
those with less fear response through skin conductance in
response to a loud scary sound were more likely to have more Jacobs et al analysed the prison population and those with
criminal history at 23 years old than those not. XYY syndrome, found that the XYY individuals were
overrepresented in the prison population, 2.9% compared to
XYY syndrome 0.2.
This may be able to explain gender differences in crime. XYY
syndrome is a chromosomal disorder in which some men are However, Re and Birkhoff analysed over 50 years of data in
born with an extra Y chromosome. This does not affect their criminal history and medical records, finding no significant
sexual development but their cognitive and some physical differences between XYY syndrome and criminal history.
development. For example, they often have tall builds, lower Therefore we can infer that their large builds and behavioural
intelligence, lower cognitive abilities like rational control and differences subjected them to the label of henchmen
decision making because XYY syndrome can act on the limbic stereotype. Therefore they find it harder to adjust to social
system in the brain. This means that they are more likely to functioning and become more maladjusted to societal
commit crimes. norms, converting to crime.
Personality as a biological explanation of crime Bodusek et al investigated the prevalence of Eysenck’s
Eyesenck’s dimensions of personality type personality traits in 133 violent and 179 non violent
Eysenck suggests that it is possible to measure a criminal prisoners. He found that high neuroticism, psychoticism and
personality. extraversion coincided with the level of violence in the
1. Extroversion - introversion, extraverts are more likely to offenders.
be thrill seekers and more outgoing, this makes them They also found links between criminal friends and a
crave stimulation and excitement which means they may criminal identity which suggests there are other social factors
be more likely to commit crime. They are also more that affect crime. Farrington et al found that there is little
difficult to condition, meaning that they have difficulty evidence for eysenck;s questionnaire being an adequate
, with reward and punishment, and are less likely to learn measure of criminality.
from their mistakes.
Biological basis - extraversion can be explained by nervous Other theories - improved the five factor model from
systems. For example, the nervous system in extraverts may be Digman suggests the addition of agreeableness, open
underactive, meaning that they need more excitement and mindedness and conscientiousness. Other theories suggest
stimulation for the same amount of arousal than introverts. that impulsivity would be a better measure of criminal
2. Neuroticism - stability, neurotics are more likely to personality.
behave more anxious and nervous, meaning their
predictability is very low. Supporting for biological basis
3. Psychoticism - those that feel less empathetic concern, Raine 1990 took physiological measures from participants
more cold and unemotional may be more likely to aged 15 years and related to later criminal status. Those with
display anti social behaviour. a criminal record 24 years later had recorded more signs of
These factors can be measured with Eysenck’s personality underarousal in the nervous system when aged 15, such as a
questionnaire or the EPQ . lower resting heart rate than the non criminals.
The socialisation process, Eysenck did mention that the
socialisation process can influence the development of these Application to early crime intervention
personalities in childhood. However, extraverts are less influenced The individuals at a young age can be tested with the EPQ to
by operant conditioning, the use of reward and punishment to identify the risk of their criminal behaviour. Therefore social
modify behaviour, and neurotics can interfere with efficient classes and workshops to help them deal with their
learning which may relate to difficulty taking into board social impulsivity and need for excitement or emotional
rules and so on. importance can be taught.
Social explanation of crime Support
Labelling theory Jahoda studied the Ashanti people in Ghana. She found that
Certain behaviours in society are labelled as good or bad based on boys born on Mondays, Kwadwo, are labelled as more even
social normal. More psychologists are interested in what makes tempered than boys born on Wednesday, Kwadku which are
the label occur, so if the person is labelled as criminal or deviant, labelled as aggressive and temperamental. She observed that
this will define their self perception and also how society treats Kwadku were more likely to display aggressive behaviour
them. As crime is a social construct, what counts as criminal compared to the Kwadwo, demonstrating the strength of self
behaviour and its circumstances is something interesting to fulfilling prophecy.
psychologists. Competing - an issue with this is that it is a field observation,
not a direct manipulation of the researcher. Therefore there
Self fulfilling prophecy are no controls of other extraneous factors, another issue is
This theory suggests that if the individual is labelled with also the researcher bias in interpretation of aggression in the
deviance or subordinate. They internalise these labels and boys.
become of such personality as labelled because society treats them
as so and they then become exactly that. This then affects how However, Zebrowitz found that baby faced young men that
other individuals treat them as they may be socially isolated and are labelled as more childish and sweet as more likely to be
depicted as dangerous. Therefore they seek solace and company criminals because they are overcompensating for their labels
from other socially deviant people like criminals and sociopaths, to defy that expectation, compared to their mature faced
meaning that they become influenced by these people and peers.
become more anti-social.
Application
Social learning theory Braithwaite suggests that societies with more conservative
Observational learning - social learning theory suggests that those means that shame criminals and demonise them for their
born with close ordinates with criminals or close contact with behaviour, this leads to higher rates of reoffending. However,
them at a young age are very likely to become criminals if society helps the individuals blend back into society, their
Biological explanations of crime Supports
Acquired brain injuries - ABIs Williams et al analysed data from 169 inmates of a UK prison
Those with brain damage at a younger age can increase their risk in their children, over 60% remembered the incident of brain
of crime in the future. Brain injuries alter the brain structure, injuries. Tendencies showed that the younger the time of
causing faulty function by causing the brain to misfire. The brain brain injury, the higher the rate of criminal activity in the last
is not mature until age 25, so childhood brain damage can lead to 5 years.
developmental issues with cognitive function like decision and
impulse control. Fazel et al analysed data in the Swedish population over 5
years on the correlation between traumatic brain injury and
Amygdala, the amygdala is a section of the brain that is implicit in rate of criminal activity. Found a higher percentage in ABI
the function of aggression and impulse control. patients 8.8% compared to normal 3%.
Competing - this is an analysis of data, it cannot control
Pardini et al 2014 - conducted neuroimaging scans on 26 year old other factors and therefore is only a correlation.
men. Men were split into 2 groups - a normal sized amygdala and
a reduced amygdala volume. 3 years later, the reduced amygdala Amygdala Competing - the image of OFC and frontal lobe.
volume group was 3 times more likely to be aggressive and Phineas Gage overcame a metal pole to his head that removed
violent. For example, the amygdala is responsible for coordinating much of his frontal lobe, but after this he became much
responses for threats in the environment. more aggressive. Close friends and others commented that he
became a different person after the incident.
Gao et al conducted a longitudinal study which concluded that
those with less fear response through skin conductance in
response to a loud scary sound were more likely to have more Jacobs et al analysed the prison population and those with
criminal history at 23 years old than those not. XYY syndrome, found that the XYY individuals were
overrepresented in the prison population, 2.9% compared to
XYY syndrome 0.2.
This may be able to explain gender differences in crime. XYY
syndrome is a chromosomal disorder in which some men are However, Re and Birkhoff analysed over 50 years of data in
born with an extra Y chromosome. This does not affect their criminal history and medical records, finding no significant
sexual development but their cognitive and some physical differences between XYY syndrome and criminal history.
development. For example, they often have tall builds, lower Therefore we can infer that their large builds and behavioural
intelligence, lower cognitive abilities like rational control and differences subjected them to the label of henchmen
decision making because XYY syndrome can act on the limbic stereotype. Therefore they find it harder to adjust to social
system in the brain. This means that they are more likely to functioning and become more maladjusted to societal
commit crimes. norms, converting to crime.
Personality as a biological explanation of crime Bodusek et al investigated the prevalence of Eysenck’s
Eyesenck’s dimensions of personality type personality traits in 133 violent and 179 non violent
Eysenck suggests that it is possible to measure a criminal prisoners. He found that high neuroticism, psychoticism and
personality. extraversion coincided with the level of violence in the
1. Extroversion - introversion, extraverts are more likely to offenders.
be thrill seekers and more outgoing, this makes them They also found links between criminal friends and a
crave stimulation and excitement which means they may criminal identity which suggests there are other social factors
be more likely to commit crime. They are also more that affect crime. Farrington et al found that there is little
difficult to condition, meaning that they have difficulty evidence for eysenck;s questionnaire being an adequate
, with reward and punishment, and are less likely to learn measure of criminality.
from their mistakes.
Biological basis - extraversion can be explained by nervous Other theories - improved the five factor model from
systems. For example, the nervous system in extraverts may be Digman suggests the addition of agreeableness, open
underactive, meaning that they need more excitement and mindedness and conscientiousness. Other theories suggest
stimulation for the same amount of arousal than introverts. that impulsivity would be a better measure of criminal
2. Neuroticism - stability, neurotics are more likely to personality.
behave more anxious and nervous, meaning their
predictability is very low. Supporting for biological basis
3. Psychoticism - those that feel less empathetic concern, Raine 1990 took physiological measures from participants
more cold and unemotional may be more likely to aged 15 years and related to later criminal status. Those with
display anti social behaviour. a criminal record 24 years later had recorded more signs of
These factors can be measured with Eysenck’s personality underarousal in the nervous system when aged 15, such as a
questionnaire or the EPQ . lower resting heart rate than the non criminals.
The socialisation process, Eysenck did mention that the
socialisation process can influence the development of these Application to early crime intervention
personalities in childhood. However, extraverts are less influenced The individuals at a young age can be tested with the EPQ to
by operant conditioning, the use of reward and punishment to identify the risk of their criminal behaviour. Therefore social
modify behaviour, and neurotics can interfere with efficient classes and workshops to help them deal with their
learning which may relate to difficulty taking into board social impulsivity and need for excitement or emotional
rules and so on. importance can be taught.
Social explanation of crime Support
Labelling theory Jahoda studied the Ashanti people in Ghana. She found that
Certain behaviours in society are labelled as good or bad based on boys born on Mondays, Kwadwo, are labelled as more even
social normal. More psychologists are interested in what makes tempered than boys born on Wednesday, Kwadku which are
the label occur, so if the person is labelled as criminal or deviant, labelled as aggressive and temperamental. She observed that
this will define their self perception and also how society treats Kwadku were more likely to display aggressive behaviour
them. As crime is a social construct, what counts as criminal compared to the Kwadwo, demonstrating the strength of self
behaviour and its circumstances is something interesting to fulfilling prophecy.
psychologists. Competing - an issue with this is that it is a field observation,
not a direct manipulation of the researcher. Therefore there
Self fulfilling prophecy are no controls of other extraneous factors, another issue is
This theory suggests that if the individual is labelled with also the researcher bias in interpretation of aggression in the
deviance or subordinate. They internalise these labels and boys.
become of such personality as labelled because society treats them
as so and they then become exactly that. This then affects how However, Zebrowitz found that baby faced young men that
other individuals treat them as they may be socially isolated and are labelled as more childish and sweet as more likely to be
depicted as dangerous. Therefore they seek solace and company criminals because they are overcompensating for their labels
from other socially deviant people like criminals and sociopaths, to defy that expectation, compared to their mature faced
meaning that they become influenced by these people and peers.
become more anti-social.
Application
Social learning theory Braithwaite suggests that societies with more conservative
Observational learning - social learning theory suggests that those means that shame criminals and demonise them for their
born with close ordinates with criminals or close contact with behaviour, this leads to higher rates of reoffending. However,
them at a young age are very likely to become criminals if society helps the individuals blend back into society, their
