AO1

• Personality Theory:

  • Eysenck = personality and intelligence research during the middle of the 20th century.
  • Proposed that behavior could be represented along two introversion-extraversion (E) and neuroticism-stability (N). The two dimensions combine to form a variety of personality characteristics or traits.
  • Eysenck later added a third-dimension - psychoticism-sociability (P)
• Biological Basis

  • Personality traits are biological in origin and come about through the type of nervous system, we inherit
  • So personality types - including the criminal personality type - have innate biological basis
• What is an Extravert 


  • Underactive, nervous system - seeks out excitement, stimulation and are likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours.
  • Tend not to condition easily and therefore do not learn from their mistakes
• How are high levels of neuroticism displayed


  • High level of reactivity in the sympathetic nervous system nervous system - respond quickly to situation of threat (fight or flight)
  • Means they tend to be nervous, jumpy and overanxious, and their general instability means their behavior is often difficult to predict
• What is the criminal personality 


  • The type is neurotic-extravert-psychotic.
  • Neurotics are unstable and therefore prone to overact to situation
  • Extraverts seek more arousal and thus engage in dangerous activities
  • Psychotics are aggressive and lack empathy
• The role of socialisation:

  • Personality is linked to offending behaviour via socialisation processes.
  • Eysenck saw offending behavior as developmentally immature om that it is selfish and concerned with immediate gratification
  • Offenders are impatient and cannot wait for things
  • Socialisation: children are taught to become more able to delay gratification and more socially orientated.
  • Eysenck believed high E and N scores had NS which made them difficult to condition
  • Making them less likely to learn anxiety responses to antisocial impulses~
• How is the criminal personality type measured?

  • The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ)
  • Psychological test which locates respondents along the E, P, and N dimensions to determine their personality types.
  • The measurement of personality = very important part of the theory as it enabled Eysenck to conduct research relating to personality variables to other behaviours, such as criminality