Eysenck's Criminal Personality

• what scales did Eysenck develop to measure personality?

  • introversion/extroversion
  • neuroticism/stability
  • psychoticism/socialisation
• what did Eysenck believe?

  that individual differences on these developed scales would determine how people would react to environmental stimuli, he argued that someone with a criminal personality would be extrovert-neurotic-psychotic
• what is the extravert personality?

  • under-aroused and therefore searches environment for stimulation
  • may engage in dangerous/risky activities to raise levels of arousal while also being resistant to conditioning/learning
• what is the neurotic personality?

  • high level of reactivity in their sympathetic nervous system, so react quickly to situations of threat
  • tend to be jumpy, over-anxious and can be difficult to predict
• what is the psychotic personality?

  • cold, unemotional and prone to aggression
  • lack of empathy
• what is the role of socialisation in ECP?

  • Eysenck saw offenders as developmentally immature - selfish and concerned with immediate gratification - offenders are impatient and can't wait for things
  • during socialisation, children are taught to delay gratification - they are conditioned e.g. wait and be good, then you can have a treat
  • Eysenck believed people with high E and N scores had nervous systems that made them difficult to condition, they are more likely to act in an anti-social manner
• how did Eysenck measure criminal personality?

  • Eysenck developed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).
  • This personality test locates people along the following dimensions to determine their personality type: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism
  • This measurement helped him to conduct research relating to personality variables and other behaviours, including criminality.