Personality
Dimensions of Personality and the Criminal Biological Basis:
Type: Eysenck’s theory is essentially
Hans Eysenck proposed that everyone’s character is biological in nature.
made up of a collection of stable features that direct Personality traits we develop
behaviour in different situations - their personality. are explained by the type of
Extraversion-Introversion: nervous system we inherit.
Extraverts crave excitement and stimulation and The constant need for excitement
are prone to engage in dangerous, risk-taking that extraverts experience is
behaviour. attributed to an underactive
They tend not to condition easily - they don’t learn nervous system which requires
from their mistakes. unusually high levels of arousal.
It means an extravert would not be affected as Individuals who score high on
strongly by punishment as an introvert. neuroticism scales are volatile
Neuroticism-Stability: neurotic individuals are and react strongly to situations
anxious and their general instability means they are others would find less stressful,
difficult to predict. or even neutral.
The typical criminal personality is an extravert-
neurotic.
A Third Dimension: Psychoticism: The Socialisation Process:
Psychoticism is seen in individuals who In most people the socialisation process in
are self-centred, cold and lack empathy childhood will determine whether a person
for other people. becomes law-abiding or not.
The criminal type is characterised by a Extraverts are natural reward-seekers
person who scores highly on all 3 make them less receptive to operant
dimensions. conditioning and therefore less affected by
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) punishment for wrongdoing.
- a questionnaire which places High neuroticism interferes with efficient
respondents along E, N and P dimensions learning which may relate to a difficult
to determine personality type. taking on board social rules.
Evaluation
Weakness:
The 5 factor model (Digman 1990) accepts Eysenck’s concepts of extraversion and introversion,
but also adds openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness.
Impulsivity is a better predictor of anti-social behaviour (Lipsey and Derzon 1998).
Suggests the criminal personality may be more complicated than Eysenck suggested.
Dimensions of Personality and the Criminal Biological Basis:
Type: Eysenck’s theory is essentially
Hans Eysenck proposed that everyone’s character is biological in nature.
made up of a collection of stable features that direct Personality traits we develop
behaviour in different situations - their personality. are explained by the type of
Extraversion-Introversion: nervous system we inherit.
Extraverts crave excitement and stimulation and The constant need for excitement
are prone to engage in dangerous, risk-taking that extraverts experience is
behaviour. attributed to an underactive
They tend not to condition easily - they don’t learn nervous system which requires
from their mistakes. unusually high levels of arousal.
It means an extravert would not be affected as Individuals who score high on
strongly by punishment as an introvert. neuroticism scales are volatile
Neuroticism-Stability: neurotic individuals are and react strongly to situations
anxious and their general instability means they are others would find less stressful,
difficult to predict. or even neutral.
The typical criminal personality is an extravert-
neurotic.
A Third Dimension: Psychoticism: The Socialisation Process:
Psychoticism is seen in individuals who In most people the socialisation process in
are self-centred, cold and lack empathy childhood will determine whether a person
for other people. becomes law-abiding or not.
The criminal type is characterised by a Extraverts are natural reward-seekers
person who scores highly on all 3 make them less receptive to operant
dimensions. conditioning and therefore less affected by
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) punishment for wrongdoing.
- a questionnaire which places High neuroticism interferes with efficient
respondents along E, N and P dimensions learning which may relate to a difficult
to determine personality type. taking on board social rules.
Evaluation
Weakness:
The 5 factor model (Digman 1990) accepts Eysenck’s concepts of extraversion and introversion,
but also adds openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness.
Impulsivity is a better predictor of anti-social behaviour (Lipsey and Derzon 1998).
Suggests the criminal personality may be more complicated than Eysenck suggested.
