AO3

• Another criticism of the research by Raine is that he used MRI scans to measure grey matter density rather than measuring actual function of the brain. Therefore, we do not know if the reduced grey matter actually causes the criminal behaviour or if other factors such as genetics or environmental influences cause both the reduced grey matter and criminal behaviour.
• What did Kandel and Freed (1989) do?


  Strength

  • Reviewed evidence of damage to the frontal lobe (including PFC) and antisocial behavior
  • People with damage tended to display impulsive behavior, emotional instability, and an inability to learn from their mistakes
  • Frontal lobe is associated with planning behavior
  • Supports the idea that brain damage may be a casual factor in offending behavior
• What did Farrington et al. (2006) look at?


  Limitation: Intervening variables

  • The link between neural differences and APD may be complex
  • Farrington studies a group of men who scored high on the psychopathy (APD)
  • The individuals had experienced various risks factors during childhood e.g. raised by convicted parent, or physically neglected
  • It could be that these experiences caused APD and also some neural differences with it - such as reduced activity in the frontal lobe due to trauma (Rauch)
  • Suggesting the link between neural differences, APD, and offending behavior is complex
• eXtra: Biological Determinism

  • Offending behaviour is determined by genetic and neural factors which cannot be controlled, so a person should not be held responsible
  • But our Justice System is based on the idea that we are all responsible for our actions, unless in extreme conditions (mental illness) where they may be judged with less responsibility.
  • People who find out they have less gray matter, for example, may feel constrained by the label and feel as though they are destined to become a convict.