Eysenck proposed that behaviour could be represented along two dimensions - introversion-extraversion and neuroticism-stability
He later added psychoticism-sociability
Biological basis
Our personality traits are biological in origin and come about through the type of nervous system we inherit
All personality types have an innate, biological basis, including the criminal personality
Extraverts seek external stimulation to increase cortical arousal
Neuroticism is determined by level of stability in sympathetic nervous system
Psychoticism relates to high testosterone
The criminal personality
The criminal personality type is neurotic-extravert-psychotic
Neurotics are unstable and prone to overreaction in situations of threat
Extraverts seek more arousal and thus engage in more dangerous activity
Psychotics are aggressive and lack empathy
The role of socialisation
Personality is linked to offending behaviour via socialisation processes
Eysenck saw offending behaviour as developmentally immature in that it is selfish and concerned with immediate gratification - offenders are impatient
In socialisation, children learn patience and deferred gratification
People with high E and N scores have nervous systems that make them difficult to condition
Therefore they are less likely to learn anxiety responses and would be more likely to act antisocially
Measuring the criminal personality
Eysenck developed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), a form of psychological test which locates respondents along the E, P and N dimensions to assess their personality type
This enabled Eysenck to conduct research relating personality variables to other behaviours, such as criminality
