Psychological explanations: Eysenck’s theory
Eysenck’s theory of criminal personality suggests that personality is biologically based and that personality
traits include dimensions of extraversion, psychoticism and neuroticism that can be measured using a
personality questionnaire.
Dimensions: Eysenck’s personality test:
1. Neuroticism-stability Method
• Individuals towards the neurotic end of this
• He assessed over 2000 male prisoners aged
dimension show traits such as anxiousness and
between 16-69 years old.
restlessness.
• He compared the prisoners to a control
• Traits at the other end of the scale include
group of over 2000 males.
reliability and calmness.
2. Extraversion-introversion Findings
• Extraverts have an underactive nervous system
which means they are more sociable, impulsive, • On measures of extraversion, neuroticism
less likely to learn from their mistakes and and psychoticism, prisoners recorded higher
assertive. scores than the control group which accords
• Introverts are quiet, passive and reserved. with the prediction of the theory.
3. Psychoticism (added later) Evaluation
• This scale shows how disposed an individual is
to a psychotic breakdown. + Large sample
• Those who score highly tend to be aggressive, - Androcentric
hostile and uncaring. - Lacks validity – screw you effect and demand
Eysenck claimed that the personality type is neurotic- characteristics may’ve been shown.
extravert.
The role of socialisation
• The role of socialisation also plays a major impact on whether someone will become a criminal because
Eysenck claimed that neurotic-extraverts have nervous systems which make them difficult to condition for
having characteristics of being patient (not wanting immediate gratification) and mature.
• The process of socialisation is one in which children are taught to become more able to delay gratification
and more socially orientated.
• As a result, neurotic-extraverts won’t easily learn to respond to antisocial impulses anxiety; instead they
would be more likely to act antisocially in situations where the opportunity presented itself.
Eysenck’s theory of criminal personality suggests that personality is biologically based and that personality
traits include dimensions of extraversion, psychoticism and neuroticism that can be measured using a
personality questionnaire.
Dimensions: Eysenck’s personality test:
1. Neuroticism-stability Method
• Individuals towards the neurotic end of this
• He assessed over 2000 male prisoners aged
dimension show traits such as anxiousness and
between 16-69 years old.
restlessness.
• He compared the prisoners to a control
• Traits at the other end of the scale include
group of over 2000 males.
reliability and calmness.
2. Extraversion-introversion Findings
• Extraverts have an underactive nervous system
which means they are more sociable, impulsive, • On measures of extraversion, neuroticism
less likely to learn from their mistakes and and psychoticism, prisoners recorded higher
assertive. scores than the control group which accords
• Introverts are quiet, passive and reserved. with the prediction of the theory.
3. Psychoticism (added later) Evaluation
• This scale shows how disposed an individual is
to a psychotic breakdown. + Large sample
• Those who score highly tend to be aggressive, - Androcentric
hostile and uncaring. - Lacks validity – screw you effect and demand
Eysenck claimed that the personality type is neurotic- characteristics may’ve been shown.
extravert.
The role of socialisation
• The role of socialisation also plays a major impact on whether someone will become a criminal because
Eysenck claimed that neurotic-extraverts have nervous systems which make them difficult to condition for
having characteristics of being patient (not wanting immediate gratification) and mature.
• The process of socialisation is one in which children are taught to become more able to delay gratification
and more socially orientated.
• As a result, neurotic-extraverts won’t easily learn to respond to antisocial impulses anxiety; instead they
would be more likely to act antisocially in situations where the opportunity presented itself.
