Psychological explanations: Eysenck's theory

• general personality theory


  • introversion/ extraversion
  • neuroticism/ stability
  • later added a third dimension- psychoticism
• biological basis


  • personality traits are biological in origin and come about through the type of nervous system we inherit
  • extraverts have an underactive nervous system which means they constantly seek excitement- risk taking behaviours
  • neurotic individuals tend to be nervous, jumpy and over-anxious- behaviour is difficult to predict
• the criminal personality


  • criminal personality type is neurotic- extravert
  • Eysenck suggested that the typical offender will also score highly on measures of psychotic- cold, unemotional and prone to aggression
• the role of socialisation

  • personality is linked to criminal behaviour via socialisation processes
  • saw criminal behaviour as developmentally immature in that it is selfish and concerned with immediate gratification
  • socialisation is something children are taught
  • people with high E and N scores had nervous systems that made them difficult to condition
• measuring the criminal personality

  Eysenck's personality inventory
• evaluation: mixed evidence

  Eysenck's: higher E, N and P scores in offenders, not supported by Farrington et al
• evaluation: the idea of a single criminal type

  too simplistic- Moffitt proposed several types of male offender; Digman proposed the five factor model
• evaluation: cultural bias


  Bartol et al: cultural differences in levels of E with Hispanic and African- American offenders