Eysenck theory-criminal personality

• Research support:

  Strength evidence to support the criminal personality. Sybil & Hans Eysenck 1977 compared 2070 prisoners' score on EPQ with 2422 non-offenders on measures of extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism across all age groups sampled prisoners recorded higher than average than controls. This agrees with the predictions of the theory offenders scored higher than average on 3 dimensions.
• Counterpoint:

  But Farrington 1982 conducted meta -analysis of relevant studies and concluded offenders tended to score higher than average on psychoticism but not for extraversion and neuroticism. Inconsistent evidence of differences on EEG measures between extraverts and introverts (Kussner 2017) which doubts the physiological basis of Eysenck's theory. Means that some of the central assumptions of criminal personality have been challenged
• Too simplistic:

  Limitation idea that all offending behaviour can be explained by personality traits. Moffitt 1993 drew a distinction between offending behaviour that only occurs in adolescence and which continues into adulthood. She argues that personality traits alone are poor predictors of criminal behaviour and personality, as are other factors such as environmental reactions for someone to become a career offender. This presents a more complex picture than Eysenck suggested that the cause of offending behaviour is determined by an interaction between personality and environment.
• Cultural factors:

  Limitation cultural factors aren't taken into account. Criminal personality can vary between cultures. Bartol & Holanchock 1979 studied hispanic and african american prisoners in nyc. Divided offenders into 6 groups depending on crime. It was found that all 6 groups scored less on extravert than control which proves Eysenck wrong as he would expect them to be more. They suggested this was because they are a different culture than originally investigated. Questioning how the criminal personality can be generalised and suggests that it may be a culturally relative concept.
• Limitation is that criminal personality has partial application as very few of the elements of the EPQ apply to the criminal personality. Also, some results of EPQ were not valid due to temporal validity as neurotics have a personality that changed quickly. Within the questionnaire it doesn’t consider how one's personality can develop, and external factors such as social background e.g poverty and substance abuse. Therefore criminal personality lacks external validity due to lack of consideration for external triggers.
• Limitation questionnaire poorly controlled and does not consider factors of which pps may not understand key terms leading to them choosing a random answer which is provided. Another is pps responding to demand characteristics in which the pps choose an option would give false results to prove the theory correct for social desirability. Supports that Eysenck's theory is poorly controlled as relied on pps truthfulness.
• Measuring the criminal personality:

  Notion that personality can be measured, and developed EPQ which is a form of psychological test which locates respondents on E & N dimensions to determine personality type. Important to theory because it enabled him to conduct research relating personality variables to criminality.
• The role of socialisation:

  In Eysenck’s theory, personality is linked to offending behaviour.Eysenck viewed criminal behaviour as developmentally immature - i.e. selfish and focused on immediate gratification.Through the process of socialisation, children are taught to delay gratification and be more socially oriented.Eysenck believed that people with high E and N scores had nervous systems that made them difficult to condition. They would be more likely to act antisocially when the opportunity arose.
• The criminal personality:

  Criminal personality is neurotic, psychotic, and extravert they are unstable and seek dangerous behaviour and are often aggressive
• Biological basis:

  Personality traits are biological and come through the type of nervous system. Criminal personalities have an innate and biological basis. Extraverts underactive nervous system impulsive behaviours hard to condition. Neurotic high level reactivity in sympathetic nervous system respond quickly to situations of threat difficult to predict
• Personality theory:

  1947 proposed behaviour could be represented along two dimensions: extraversion and neuroticism. Two dimensions combine to form psychoticism