Dispositional

    Cards (7)

    • Dispositional Explanations (The Importation Model)
      What characteristics could a prisoner bring with them into prison?
      Selfish, self-centred, rude, confrontational, short-tempered, tough, intimidating, rebellious
      • Fighting experience
      • May show irritation toward authority figures
      • Learns aggressive behaviours
    • The Convict Subculture
      • Crime is embedded in their personality (e.g. part of a mafia or crime family)
      • Most likely to be aggressive before hand and within the prison
      repeat offenders
      • have been raised in the prison system (know how to manipulate the system)
      • look for positions of power within the system
      • influenced by deprivation prior to being imprisoned and bring values of that subculture inside with them
    • The Criminal Subculture
      • Crime is only partially embedded in their personality
      • More serious crime
      • Can be aggressive when they need to be but do not intend harm
      • Follow prison norms and rules of prison
      • they respect the prison hierarchy
      • Views such as loyalty and trust among other criminals are important
      • Follow the norms and values associated with being a thief or criminal
    • The Straight Subculture
      • No history of crime, not repeat offenders (e.g. speeding)
      • Go to prison for a one-off reason and do not want to go to prison again (e.g. revenge)
      • Less likely to be aggressive
      • weren't part of a criminal subculture beforehand
      • rejects both other groups with prison and identify more with prison officers and staff
      • one time offenders
    • Overall, this explanation suggests people in prisons are aggressive because…
      • Explains why some people are aggressive and others aren’t (e.g. criminal history)
      • Explains why there are different levels of aggression among people
      Individual characteristics are associated with aggression – it is the person that makes them aggressive, not the environment
    • Strengths (+)
      • Research support – DeLisi found individuals with trauma or substance abuse were more likely to engage in aggression, such as suicidal activity or sexual abuse.
      • Real-life application – Useful for prison staff in managing aggression.
      • Explains individual differences – Helps explain why some people are aggressive in institutions while others are not.
      • High-security prisons statistically have higher levels of assault - suggests the personality of the inmate led them to high security prison
    • Weaknesses (-)
      • Too reductionist – Ignores the influence of situational factors, such as overcrowding, deprivation, and intimacy.
      Deterministic – Suggests aggression is inevitable for certain individuals.
      Contradictory research – Some studies support situational explanations rather than dispositional ones.
      • Too simplistic – External factors like peer pressure from other inmates can also influence aggression.
      Interactionist approach needed – A better explanation might combine both dispositional and situational factors.