A03: Historic Approach - Biological Explanation

• Evaluation of Atavistic A03?


  -Contradictory Research

  +Explanatory Power

  -Eugenics

  -Lombroso's Research Lacks Scientific Rigor/methods poorly controlled
• -ve: Contradictory Research - HA


  • Goring (1913) compared 3000 offenders & 3000 non-offenders & found no evidence that offenders are a distinct group with unusual facial & cranial characteristics

  He did suggest though that many people who commit crime have lower-than average intelligence (offering limited support for atavistic theory).

  • This challenges idea offenders can be physically distinguished from rest of population, thus they are unlikely to be a subspecies.

  Suggesting very limited support for Lombroso's argument that criminals are a sub-species questioning the validity of Lombroso.
• +ve: Explanatory Power - HA

  • Lombroso's research has a large contribution to criminology

  Lombroso (the 'father of modern criminology' Hollin 1989) shifted the emphasis in crime research away from moralistic discourse to scientific discourse & credible realm (evolutionary influences & genetics)

  • Also, in describing how particular types of people are likely to commit particular types of crime, the theory laid foundation of offender profiling

  This suggests that Lombroso made a major contribution to the science of criminology.
• -ve: Lombroso's Research Lacks Scientific Rigor/methods poorly controlled= PART 1

  • Lombroso not compare offender sample with non-criminal control group, thus failed to control confounding variables.
  • Lack of control mean don't know if characteristics unique to criminals.
  • So difficult to draw conclusions that feature is distinctive. E.G., modern research shows social conditions (e.g. poverty) are associated with offending behaviour which explain some of Lombroso's links (Hay & Forrest 2009).
  • This suggests Lombroso's research doesn't meet modern scientific standards.
• -ve: Lombroso's Research Lacks Scientific Rigor: PART 2

  • No control for criminals with psychological disorders, atavistic characteristics might be related to such disorders which be confounding variable that impact significance of results.
  • Other factors; facial & cranial differences influenced by poverty, poor diet rather than indication of delayed evolutionary development (so don't know if this definitely cause of criminal behaviour)
  • Also samples may included people with learning difficulties which skewed measurements as some learning difficulties have physical effect on facial features.
• -ve: Eugenics - HA - PART 1


  Critics draw attention to racial undertones within Lombroso's work.

  • Delisi (2012) criticise Lombroso said many features identified as atavistic (curly hair, dark skin) found in people of African descent, view fitted 19th century eugenic attitudes (to prevent some groups from breeding).
  • Eugenics = genetically 'unfit' people should be prevented from breeding
• -ve: Eugenics - HA - PART 2

  • Also description of atavistic form being uncivilised, primitive 'savage’ support to eugenic philosophies of the time.
  • Eugenics gives scientific justification for racism, leads to cases like sterilisation plans. Uncomfortable & controversial, accused of scientific racism over shadows work. Suggest theory more subjective than objective, influenced by racist prejudices.