criminological psychology

• brain injury


  trauma can be caused by a range of factors such as car accident, a fall or the result of being involved in a criminal activity
• frontal lobe damage


  problem solving abilities and decision making so damage can lead to violence (assault)
• limbic system damage


  help explain high recidivism rates (theft)
• hippocampus damage


  affect accuracy of how a memory is stored so a criminal event is stored differently making it more likely to be repeated (serial killers)
• hypothalamus damage


  affect control of rage and pleasure person experiences (torture)
• supporting evidence for brain injury (sweet)

  charles whitman - found a large tumour in the limbic area supporting idea that some of the areas of the brain are responsible for violence
• supporting evidence for brain injury (Blair)


  found that case studies of anti social personality disorders often have frontal lobe damage so linking brain injury as a cause of criminal behaviour which allows predictions to be made who are likely to be an offender
• critical evidence for brain injury (Polman)

  found that playing violent video games had a bigger influence on aggression levels of males than simply watching tv violence showing it is not brain injury but getting the opportunity to observe and imitate that leads to an increase in violent behaviour
• critical evidence for brain injury (Eysenck)


  found that the criminal scored more highly on E, N and P scales than non criminals suggesting that personality has a role in criminality rather than damage to the brain
• amygdala and aggression


  the amygdala processing information from our sense and determines our emotional response so if damaged this may be excessive causing an outburst of aggression and violence
• damage to amygdala


  cause assault / fighting
• supporting evidence for amygdala and aggression (pardini)

  found that people with smaller amygdala are 3 times more likely to exhibit aggression + violence than those with larger amygdala showing it is important in causing criminal behaviour
• supporting evidence for amygdala and aggression (glenn)


  found reduced activity in the amygdala during moral reasoning tasks which supports the view that psychopaths worry less about committing crime or hurting others
• critical evidence for amygdala and aggression (Eysenck)


  found that the criminal scored more highly on E, N , P scales than non criminals suggesting that personality has a role in criminality rather than the amygdala malfunctioning
• critical evidence for amygdala and aggression (Polman)

  found that playing violent video games had a bigger influence on aggression levels of males than simply watching tv violence showing it is not the amygdala but getting the opportunity to observe and imitate that leads to an increase in violence behaviour.
• xyy syndrome


  occurs in 1:1000 male births that occur through a random mutation and is not an inherited condition.
• how are xyy males likely to act?

  impulsive, physically more attractive, intelligence is usually in the normal range, IQ is 10-15 points lower when compared to siblings.
• what socioeconomic factors may be linked to males that have xyy syndrome?

  men had fewer relationships, less likely to become fathers, lower income and education level
• supporting evidence for xyy (Leggett)

  found that males with xyy had normal IQ's but had difficulty with speech and language showing that it affects how the child develops which could lead to crime.
• critical evidence for xyy (Raine)

  found lower levels of glucose metabolism in the pre frontal cortex in NGRI compared to the control group suggesting that criminal behaviour is due to malfunctioning of the brain and not xyy.
• Personality


  determined by an individuals biological constitution which is determined by their genes
• extraversion (E)


  have high need for excitement, impulsive and lose temper easily so more likely to be criminal.
• extraversion in biological aggression

  RAS inhibits incoming sensations, resulting in the need to seek stimulation which can bring them into conflict and likely to engage in crimes (joyriding)
• neuroticism (N)

  people tend to be nervous, anxious, tend to overreact leading to criminal behaviour.
• neuroticism in biological aggression

  ANS releases hormones such as adrenaline which makes you 'jump' when something frightening happens, more reactive the ANS more likely to lash out in fear.
• psychoticism - normality (P)


  characterised by being egocentric, impulsive, cold, hostile, socially withdrawn and lacking in empathy for others.
• psychoticsim in biological aggression

  linked to levels of testosterone which would support the fact that more males than females commit crime due to higher levels of testosterone
• strengths of personality - standardised

  EPI questionnaire is standardised this is a strength as it can be replicated on different criminals to check for consistencies in research findings which increases the reliability.
• weakness of personality - individual difference

  does not take into account social factors like upbringing and morals focusing on PEN personality measures, makes it an incomplete explanation as there are other factors that cause crime.
• supporting evidence for personality (Eysenck)


  criminals scored more highly on E, N, P scales than non criminals with violent offenders higher scores for E, P but lower score for N, showing criminal behaviour can be predicted as linked to internal biological factors
• critical evidence for personality (Raine)

  found lower levels of glucose metabolism in the prefrontal cortex in NGRI compared to the control group suggesting that criminal behaviour is due to malfunctioning of the brain and not xyy
• self fulfilling prophecy


  explains why someone may become an offender as the prophecy is made before they commit crime so has consequences for future behaviour of the offender.
• how does self fulfilling prophecy work?

  prophecy is set + expectation = prophecy is fulfilled
• strength of self fulfilling prophecy (reductionist)

  criminal behaviour is down to one factor, society's expectations, explains where crime comes from. behaviour of offender can be used to predict their future behaviours and how crime can be prevented
• weakness of self fulfilling prophecy (individual differences)

  states that individuals become offenders based on the way they are treated, weakness as people may take this as constructive criticism rather than continuing to reoffend
• usefulness of self fulfilling prophecy


  allows us to predict who is more likely to commit crimes so that they can be monitored more closely in order to prevent crime
• less useful of self fulfilling prophecy


  ignores other factors such as people from poorer areas may be committing crimes in order to survive and not because it is expected of them.
• supporting evidence - self fulfilling prophecy (ageton)

  interviewed boys about their sense of identity and self concept. the boys were monitored and over time some were arrested and it was these boys that adopted a delinquent identity leading them to commit crime.
• critical evidence - self fulfilling prophecy (Raine)

  found lower levels of glucose metabolism in the pre frontal cortex in NGRI compared to the control group suggesting that criminal behaviour is due to malfunctioning of the brain and not prophecies
• social learning theory


  all criminal behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation of role models