Biological Explanations

• Who argued that criminals are "genetic throwbacks"?

  Lombroso
• What did Lombroso believe about the nature of criminals?

  He believed they were biologically less evolved and unable to live normally in society
• What physiological markers did Lombroso theorize could identify criminals?

  Physical characteristics mainly on the face and head
• Name one physical characteristic Lombroso associated with criminals.

  Large, strong jaw
• What did Lombroso suggest about murderers' physical traits?

  Murderers were thought to have bloodshot eyes, strong jaws, and curly hair
• What was the sample size of Lombroso's research on criminals?

  He examined 383 dead and 3,839 living criminals
• What percentage of criminal acts did Lombroso conclude could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics?

  40%
• What controversial movement could Lombroso's research be seen to support?

  The movement of Eugenics
• Why is Lombroso's sample considered unrepresentative?

  All participants were from Italy
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Lombroso's theory?

  Strengths:

  • Father of modern criminology
  • Shifted view of criminals to a scientific realm
  • Introduced criminal profiling

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Racial undertones in characteristics
  • Contradictory evidence from Goring's study
  • Correlational research only
  • Methodological issues with no control group
• What did Goring (1913) conclude about the physical characteristics of criminals?

  There was no difference in physical characteristics between criminals and non-criminals
• What did Goring find about the intelligence of criminals?

  Criminals had a lower intelligence
• What alternative explanations could account for Goring's findings?

  Environmental factors such as poverty or learned behavior
• What was a methodological issue in Goring's study?

  No control group for comparison
• What research methods are used to study genetic influences on criminal behavior?

  Twin studies, adoption studies, family studies, and genome research
• What is the theory behind genetic explanations of criminal behavior?

  Crime is caused by a criminal gene inherited from biological parents
• What do concordance rates indicate in twin studies?

  The likelihood that both twins exhibit the same behavior
• What were the concordance rates for MZ and DZ twins in criminal behavior according to the studies?

  MZ twins: 35%, DZ twins: 13%
• What did Osborne and West (1982) find in their family study?

  40% of sons with criminal fathers had criminal convictions
• What are the limitations of Osborne and West's study?

  It has poor population validity due to gender bias
• What did Christiansen (1977) find regarding MZ and DZ twins and criminality?

  MZ twins had a higher concordance rate for criminality than DZ twins
• What is the significance of the MAOA gene according to Brunner et al (1993)?

  It is associated with controlling dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain
• What did Moffitt et al (2002) find about individuals with the MAOA-L gene?

  They were more likely to engage in anti-social behavior
• What did Tiihonen (2014) discover about offenders and genetic abnormalities?

  They found abnormalities in the MAOA-L and CDH13 genes
• What is a potential issue with Tiihonen's study?

  It has not yet been consistently supported in other areas
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of genetic explanations of criminal behavior?

  Strengths:

  • Identifies potential risk factors
  • Supports the idea of diathesis-stress

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Stigma and discrimination concerns
  • Biologically deterministic implications
  • Ethical questions regarding screening and selective breeding
• What does the neural explanation of offending suggest?

  There are differences in brain structure and function between criminals and non-criminals
• What disorder is often studied in relation to criminal behavior?

  Antisocial personality disorder (APD)
• What brain region is associated with emotional regulation and impulsive behavior?

  The prefrontal cortex
• What neurotransmitter is linked to mood and impulse control?

  Serotonin
• What did Adrian Raine's study find about the prefrontal cortex in individuals with APD?

  They had reduced grey matter in the prefrontal area
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of neural explanations of offending?

  Strengths:

  • Scientific and objective
  • Practical applications for parole decisions

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Only correlational evidence
  • Limited to violent criminals
  • Reductive focus on biological factors
• What was the autonomic response of the APD group during stressful situations?

  They showed a reduced autonomic response
• What did Murphy (2009) find regarding the amygdala in criminal psychopaths?

  They had damage to the amygdala compared to a control group
• What is a potential issue with labeling individuals based on biological factors?

  It could lead to stigma and discrimination
• What is the ethical dilemma associated with early intervention for potential offenders?

  How early to intervene without labeling individuals as criminals
• What does biological determinism imply about offenders?

  They commit crimes because their biology determines their actions
• What is the main focus of the research on psychopathy?

  Differences in brain structure and function
• What is the role of the amygdala in emotional processing?

  It is involved in empathy and emotional responses
• What is a limitation of the research on biological factors influencing crime?

  It implies a lack of free will in offenders