Describe

• Eyesenck's personality test


  A determining factor in criminal behaviour
• Eyesenck's theory of personality


  • Personality is based on certain biological factors
  • Individuals inherit a certain type of nervous system that affects their ability to learn and adapt to their environment
• Criminal behaviour


  Due to a failure in socialization as we learn through operant conditioning
• Dimensions of personality


  • Extraversion
  • Neuroticism
  • Psychoticism
• Extraversion


  The overall level of arousal. Extraverts seek external stimulation to increase their cortical (brain) arousal and therefore may participate in dangerous activities often criminal.
• Neuroticism


  The level of stability (i.e. amount of reactivity) in the sympathetic nervous system (i.e. fight or flight). A neurotic personality is normally characterised by being unstable and gets easily upset or responds in a reactive way to situations and therefore prone to over-react to situations of threat which could explain criminal behaviour as reactive defence mechanism.
• Psychoticism


  Related to higher levels of testosterone, which means that men are more likely to be found at this end of the spectrum and because of the higher levels of testosterone this increases aggressive behaviour and a lack of empathy.
• Eyesenck also recognized that individuals may be born with certain personality traits but environmental influences are a key factor in criminal behaviour.
• Cognitive distortion


  A form of irrational thinking whereby reality has become twisted so that what is perceived no longer represents reality. In the context of criminal behaviour such distortions allow an offender to deny or rationalise their behaviour.
• Hostile attribution bias


  Someone always thinks the worst. For example, if someone smiles at you then you may think the person is thinking bad thoughts about you instead of just being pleasant. These negative perceptions lead to more aggressive behaviour.
• Minimalisation


  An example of a cognitive distortion relevant to crime. It can explain how an offender may reduce any negative interpretation of their behaviour before and/or after a crime has been committed. This helps the individual accept the consequences of their own behaviour and means that negative emotions can be reduced.
• Kohlberg's moral reasoning


  Most criminals are likely to be at the pre-conventional level as they believe that breaking the law is justified if the rewards outweigh the costs.
• In England and Wales children under 10 cannot be charged with a crime because it is believed that they don't understand the idea of moral responsibility as they're at the pre-conventional level.