Ao1

• biological basis for personality

  • according to eysenck our personality traits are determined by our nervous system, 2 types highlighted:
  • extraverts= underactive nervous system and so constantly seek excitement- likely to engage in risk taking activities
  • neurotic individuals= overactive nervous system and are more anxious, touchy and have a largely unstable personality making behaviour difficult to predict.
• criminal personality

  • made up of high scores of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism on the eysenck personality inventory(EPI)
  • said criminal behaviour is developmentally immature, selfish and concerned with immediate gratification
  • children taught delayed gratification through the process of socialisation but criminals have not learnt this as they are hard to condition