Biological and Psychological Perspectives Chapter 4 Biological and Psychological Perspectives Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Chapter Outline Biology and criminality Crime and human nature Psychology and criminality Mental disorders and crime

Biocriminology Study of the physical aspects of psychological disorders Research suggests that crime has psychobiological aspects and that there is a strong genetic predisposition to criminality

Genetics and Criminality XYY Syndrome XYY male receives two Y-chromosomes from the father rather than one Tend to be tall, physically aggressive, and violent

Genetics and Criminality (continued 1) Twin Studies - Based on Lange’s research: 10 out of the 13 identical pairs, both twins were criminal as opposed to just 2 out of the 17 fraternal twins

Genetics and Criminality (continued 2) Study by Karl Christiansen and Sarnoff A. Mednick Chance of there being a criminal twin when the other twin is a criminal is half for identical twins and 20 percent for same-sex fraternal twins

Genetics and Criminality (continued 3) Adoption studies Findings suggest that criminality of biological parents influences the child more, compared to adoptive parents

National Academy of Science (NAS) Lists risk factors related to violence Hyperactivity Poor early grades and low IQ Fearlessness Inability to delay gratification

Biochemical Factors Influencing Criminality Food allergies Irritability, hyperactivity, seizures, agitation, and out-of-character behavior Diet Food high in sugar and carbohydrates, vitamin deficiency or dependency, and excessive food additives Hypoglycemia Symptoms - Anxiety, confusion, headache, fatigue, and aggressive behavior Hormones Abnormal levels of male hormones may prompt criminal behavior

Neurocriminology Disruptions of prefrontal and frontal lobes are associated with aggressive behavior Brain imaging techniques offer insights into the brains of criminals Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Positron emission tomography (PET)

Neurocriminology (continued) EEG (electroencephalogram) tracings Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD): Produces asocial behavioral patterns May explain criminality but an overlooked diagnosis

Psychoanalytic Theory of Criminality Attributes delinquent and criminal behavior to: Conscience so overbearing that it arouses feelings of guilt Conscience so weak that it cannot control the individual’s impulses Need for immediate gratification

Sigmund Freud: Psychoanalysis Components of the human psyche Id: Consists of powerful urges and drives for gratification and satisfaction Ego: Executive of the personality, acting as a moderator between the superego and id Superego: Acts as a moral code or conscience Criminality results from an overactive superego or conscience

Principles of Psychologists Who Study Crime Actions and behavior of an adult are understood in terms of childhood development Behavior and unconscious motives are intertwined and their interaction must be unraveled to understand criminality Criminality is a representation of psychological conflict

Moral Developmental Theory Preconventional level Children’s moral rules and moral values consist of dos and don’ts to avoid punishment Conventional level Individuals believe in and have adopted the values and rules of society

Moral Developmental Theory (continued) Postconventional level - Individuals examine customs and social rules According to their own sense of universal human rights, moral principles, and duties Moral Reconation Therapy and Reasoning and Rehabilitation Aim to improve the moral reasoning of offenders and alter underlying criminal attitudes

Bowlby: Features of Attachment Specificity Duration Engagement of emotion Ontogeny (course of development) Learning Organization Biological function

Family Atmosphere and Delinquency Variables related to the commission of crimes Inadequate maternal affection and supervision and parental conflict Mother’s lack of self-confidence Father’s deviance No evidence that deprivation directly causes delinquency

Social Learning Theory Maintains that delinquent behavior is learned through the same psychological processes as any other behavior Behavior is: Learned when it is reinforced or rewarded Not learned when it is not reinforced

Observational Learning Bandura argues that individuals learn violence and aggression through behavior modeling Behavioral modeling: Children learn how to behave by fashioning their behavior after that of others

Instigators of Aggression Aversive Physical assaults, verbal threats, and insults Incentive Rewards Modeling Violent or aggressive behaviors observed in others Instructional Observations of people carrying out instructions to engage in violence or aggression Delusional Unfounded beliefs that violence is necessary

Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory Suggests that: Persistence of criminal behavior depends on whether or not it is rewarded or punished Most meaningful rewards and punishments are those given by groups that are important in an individual’s life Peer group, family, teachers, and so forth

Eysenck’s Conditioning Theory All human personality may be seen in three dimensions Psychoticism: Aggressive, egocentric, and impulsive Extroversion: Sensation-seeking, dominant, and assertive Neuroticism: Low self-esteem, excessive anxiety, and wide mood swings

Eysenck’s Conditioning Theory (continued) Suggests that humans develop a conscience through conditioning Criminal’s poor conditionability Extroverts are difficult to condition and have greater difficulty in developing a conscience Differences in conditionability are dependent on certain physiological factors

Mental Disorders and Crime Psychopathy Called sociopathy or antisocial personality Personality characterized by the inability to learn from experience, lack of warmth, and absence of guilt Fundamental psycholegal error Occurs when individuals identify a psychopathological cause for criminal behavior

Mental Disorders and Crime (continued) Assume that any behavior resulting from mental disorders must be excused by law Integrated theory Behavior results from a person’s perception of the potential rewards and/or punishments that accompany a criminal act