©THEBRIGHT EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Unit 2 Criminology: AC 3.1 Exam Questions
With Verified Answers
What are the 3 main strengths of Bandura's Social Learning Theory? - Answers✔>Showed a
cause and effect- did change the child's behaviour
>The experiment had controlled variables- making it more accurate
>The study has been replicated with a few changes and similar results were achieved
What are the 3 main weaknesses of Bandura's Social Learning Theory? - Answers✔>The model
and child were strangers- modelling usually takes place within the family
>Ethical issues due to exposing children to violence- psychological and physical harm
>Cumberbatch [1997]: children that had not played with the doll before were 5x more likely to
imitate the model
What are the 3 main advantages of Freud's Psychodynamic Theory? - Answers✔>Freud's
theories are odd, not necessarily wrong
>Has contributed to research on crime and behaviour- particularly childhood experiences
>The ID, EGO and SUPEREGO relate to different parts of the brain and their functions
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Freud's Psychodynamic Theory? - Answers✔>No longer
recognised by psychologists as it is difficult to test theories like the unconscious mind
>These theories are unscientific and lack objective interpretation
>Lack of quantitative data- used it on himself and people he knew
What are the 3 main advantages of Eysenck's criminal personality type theory? -
Answers✔>Research on soldiers supported his theory
>If correct, it may be possible to intervene at an early stage and prevent criminal tendencies
>Has formed the basis for many modern personality tests
1
, ©THEBRIGHT EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Eysenck's criminal personality type theory? -
Answers✔>Lacks reliability- people may not respond in the exact same way every time
>Farrington et al [1996]: it's a person's view on their personality- can be biased or inaccurate
>Personality can change over time
What are the 3 main advantages of Lombroso's atavistic and primitive features theory? -
Answers✔>Labelled prisons as 'criminal universities'- prisoners come out worse than what they
go in
>Contributed towards the beginnings of offender profiling
>Goring [1913]: low-order intelligence in convicts
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Lombroso's atavistic and primitive features theory? -
Answers✔>Lack of control group and accuracy- possible disfigurements
>Not everyone with atavistic features is a criminal and not all criminals have them
>Scientific racism- DeLisi [2012]- African features
What are the 3 main advantages of Sheldon's somatotypes theory? - Answers✔>Is a small
association between body build and criminality (Putwain & Sammons [2002])
>Good sized sample used
>Glueck & Glueck [1956]:60% of deliquent sample were mesomorphs and 31% in non-
delinquent sample
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Sheldon's somatotypes theory? - Answers✔>People's
somatotypes are not fixed- can change overtime
>Can be encouraged by the public to engage in criminal activity due to the labeling & peer
pressure
>Police/criminal justice system will treat mesomorphs more harshly and target them more
What are the 2 main advantages of Jacob et Al's XYY theory? - Answers✔>His research
concluded that a large number of men in prison had an extra Y chromosome
>Adler et al [2007]: possible aggression and violent behavior is partly determined by genetics
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Jacob et Al's XYY theory? - Answers✔>Genetic
abnormalities are widespread through the population- do not explain aggression
>Ignores behaviorist approach
>Theilgaard [1984]: aggression was not associated with XYY men
2
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Unit 2 Criminology: AC 3.1 Exam Questions
With Verified Answers
What are the 3 main strengths of Bandura's Social Learning Theory? - Answers✔>Showed a
cause and effect- did change the child's behaviour
>The experiment had controlled variables- making it more accurate
>The study has been replicated with a few changes and similar results were achieved
What are the 3 main weaknesses of Bandura's Social Learning Theory? - Answers✔>The model
and child were strangers- modelling usually takes place within the family
>Ethical issues due to exposing children to violence- psychological and physical harm
>Cumberbatch [1997]: children that had not played with the doll before were 5x more likely to
imitate the model
What are the 3 main advantages of Freud's Psychodynamic Theory? - Answers✔>Freud's
theories are odd, not necessarily wrong
>Has contributed to research on crime and behaviour- particularly childhood experiences
>The ID, EGO and SUPEREGO relate to different parts of the brain and their functions
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Freud's Psychodynamic Theory? - Answers✔>No longer
recognised by psychologists as it is difficult to test theories like the unconscious mind
>These theories are unscientific and lack objective interpretation
>Lack of quantitative data- used it on himself and people he knew
What are the 3 main advantages of Eysenck's criminal personality type theory? -
Answers✔>Research on soldiers supported his theory
>If correct, it may be possible to intervene at an early stage and prevent criminal tendencies
>Has formed the basis for many modern personality tests
1
, ©THEBRIGHT EXAM SOLUTIONS 2024/2025
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Eysenck's criminal personality type theory? -
Answers✔>Lacks reliability- people may not respond in the exact same way every time
>Farrington et al [1996]: it's a person's view on their personality- can be biased or inaccurate
>Personality can change over time
What are the 3 main advantages of Lombroso's atavistic and primitive features theory? -
Answers✔>Labelled prisons as 'criminal universities'- prisoners come out worse than what they
go in
>Contributed towards the beginnings of offender profiling
>Goring [1913]: low-order intelligence in convicts
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Lombroso's atavistic and primitive features theory? -
Answers✔>Lack of control group and accuracy- possible disfigurements
>Not everyone with atavistic features is a criminal and not all criminals have them
>Scientific racism- DeLisi [2012]- African features
What are the 3 main advantages of Sheldon's somatotypes theory? - Answers✔>Is a small
association between body build and criminality (Putwain & Sammons [2002])
>Good sized sample used
>Glueck & Glueck [1956]:60% of deliquent sample were mesomorphs and 31% in non-
delinquent sample
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Sheldon's somatotypes theory? - Answers✔>People's
somatotypes are not fixed- can change overtime
>Can be encouraged by the public to engage in criminal activity due to the labeling & peer
pressure
>Police/criminal justice system will treat mesomorphs more harshly and target them more
What are the 2 main advantages of Jacob et Al's XYY theory? - Answers✔>His research
concluded that a large number of men in prison had an extra Y chromosome
>Adler et al [2007]: possible aggression and violent behavior is partly determined by genetics
What are the 3 main disadvantages of Jacob et Al's XYY theory? - Answers✔>Genetic
abnormalities are widespread through the population- do not explain aggression
>Ignores behaviorist approach
>Theilgaard [1984]: aggression was not associated with XYY men
2
