10 Questions
Which two researchers traced family trees to study criminal offending and attributed it to degenerate nature or moral degeneracy?
Richard Dugdale and Henry Goddard
What do twin studies suggest about criminality?
Genetics and environment both play a role
What do adoption studies suggest about the influence of biological parents and adoptive parents in explaining criminality?
Biological parents have a stronger influence
What do studies of twins separated at birth show about criminality?
It is solely influenced by genetics
What do cytogenetic studies examining XYY chromosome abnormality show about conviction rates for XYY males?
They are higher for violent crimes only
What other factors besides genetics and environment may play a role in criminal behavior?
Hormones, neurotransmitters, and neurophysiology
According to William Shockley, Arthur Jenson, and Herrnstein and Murray, what is related to criminality through intelligence?
Social class and race
According to Sigmund Freud, August Aichhorn, and Kate Fredlanger, what may cause criminal behavior?
An underdeveloped superego
According to Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development, what stage are those who engage in crime stuck at?
Preconventional stage
What do criminals score lower in according to the California Personality Inventory?
Socialization, self-control, and responsibility
Study Notes
- Richard Dugdale and Henry Goddard traced family trees to study criminal offending and attributed it to degenerate nature or moral degeneracy.
- Twin studies suggest a genetic inheritance of criminality, but environmental influences may not be fully separated out.
- Adoption studies suggest a stronger influence of biological parents than adoptive parents in explaining criminality, but selective placement may also play a role.
- Studies of twins separated at birth show a genetic basis to criminality that cannot be explained by environmental factors alone.
- Cytogenetic studies examining XYY chromosome abnormality show a higher conviction rate for XYY males, but not necessarily for violent crimes.
- Hormones, neurotransmitters, and neurophysiology may also play a role in criminal behavior.
- Intelligence, psychoanalytic theories, theory of moral development, attachment theory, and personality theories are other psychological approaches to explaining criminality.
- William Shockley, Arthur Jenson, and Herrnstein and Murray argue that social class and race are related to criminality through intelligence.
- Sigmund Freud, August Aichhorn, and Kate Fredlanger suggest that an underdeveloped superego may cause criminal behavior.
- Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development suggests that those who engage in crime are stuck at the preconventional stage and do not understand right from wrong.
- California Personality Inventory measures personality profiles of general population
- Criminals score lower in socialization, self-control, and responsibility
- Eysneck and Eysneck developed personality theory of criminality
- Criminals score high in neuroticism, extraversion, and psychoticism
- Criticisms of empirical studies comparing incarcerated and general population
- Inventories use questions on criminal and delinquent behavior
- Deinstitutionalization movement followed increase in incarceration of mental health patients
- No direct relationship between mental illness and criminality
- Certain psychiatric diagnoses more prevalent among violent offenders
- Lack of community-based supports for mental health patients.
Test your knowledge on criminality and the various psychological explanations behind criminal behavior, including genetic inheritance, environmental influences, personality theories, and more.
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