Criminal Behaviour

Biological Theory
1. Heritability
  Annotations:
  - A proportiion of behaviour that is due to genetic factors
2. Brain dysfunction
  1. Pre frontal cortex
    Annotations:
    - Under developed in some criminals. Where the fear of ASB is conditioned
  2. Temporal lobe
    Annotations:
    - Language learning emotions and memory. Slower in aggressive psychopaths
  3. Limbic system
    Annotations:
    - aggressive and sexual behaviour. Increased activity in criminals
  4. corpus callosum
    Annotations:
    - bridge between the rational side and irrational side . Murders can have a less active corpus callosum
3. Physical features
  1. Hairy
  2. High forehead
  3. Glassy eyes
  4. High cheek bones
  5. Large protruding ears
4. criminal personality
fails to account for nature
brian dysfunction only evident in some criminals
can run families
one gene cannot be responsible for diverse crimes i.e.. rape / financial fraud
Social Learning Theory
1. Vicarious re enforcement
  Annotations:
  - behaviour that is strengthened by seeing rewards recived by another for similar behaviours
2. imitation of role models
3. Nuture
Mednick et Al
1. to test if criminal behaviour is linked to nature or nurture
  1. Denmark 1400 adopted male criminals. Compared criminal records of biological and adoptive parents
    1. neither bio / adoptive = 13.5%
    2. only adoptive = 14.7%
    3. only bio = 20%
    4. both = 24%
    5. strong genetic component. Did not totally rule out effect of environment
      1. convictions may not be accurate
      2. contamination effect
      3. androcentic / gender and cultural bias
applications = age restrictions and strong prison sentences / early intervention through education

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Criminal Behaviour

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	Created by Jennifer Farley over 11 years ago