Exam (elaborations)
Psychology Essay Plans - Forensic Psychology
- Module
- Gpstc Criminal Law.
- Institution
- Gpstc Criminal Law.
Psychology Essay Plans - Forensic Psychology
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Psychology Essay Plans - ForensicPsychology
Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form - correct answer-AO1:
The atavistic form is an early biological explanation for criminal behaviour that proposed a
new perspective that offenders were not to blame for their actions as criminality was innate
and rooted in genes, Lombroso pioneered a more scientific basis for this idea suggesting
that criminals are biologically different from non-criminals, it was suggested that criminals
lack evolutionary development and so are considered to be savage and untamed meaning
that they could not adjust to civil society causing them to turn to crime, the atavistic form can
be identified by physiological markers (e.g. narrow, sloping brow, facial asymmetry and dark
skin), these features can be linked to specific types of crime (e.g. murderers were identified
to have bloodshot eyes, curly hair and long ears), in his research Lombroso studied the
cranial and facial features of many italian convicts (~380 dead, ~3800 alive), it was
concluded that there was an atavistic form and features were key indicators of criminality, it
was also concluded that 40% of criminal acts were committed by people with atavistic traits.
AO3:
Strength: Changed the face of the study of crime, he is known as the father of modern
criminology as he shifted the focus of crime away from a moralistic standpoint and more
towards a scientific measure due to his attempt at determining how particular types of people
are likely to commit crimes (led to the beginning of offender profiling), therefore suggesting
that Lombroso made made major contributions to the science of criminology.
Weaknesses: Counterpoint, legacy not entirely positive (DeLisi), his theory has racist
undertones as many atavistic features are likely to be found in people of African descent,
this dangerously fitted the eugenics movement of the 19th century, this suggests that
Lombroso's work may be more subjecti
Outline and evaluate genetic and neural explanations for offending behaviour - correct
answer-AO1:
Genetic explanations suggest offenders inherit genes that predisposes them to commit
crime, whereas neural explanations suggest offenders' brains are in some way structured
differently to non-criminals, genetic explanations involve twin studies, adoption studies
(Crowe - adoptees at 50% risk of a criminal record before 18 if bio. mother had a criminal
record Vs 5%) and research into candidate genes (Tiihonen et al - MAOA controls dopamine
and serotonin, linked to violent crime, CDH13 linked with substance abuse and ADHD,
5-10% of violent crimes in Finland attributable to these genotypes), neural explanations use
research of APD (reduced emotional responses, lack of empathy, impulsiveness), prefrontal
cortex studies by Raine et al (several brain imaging studied showed reduced activity in the
prefrontal cortex when had APD, 11% reduction in grey matter in prefrontal cortex).
AO3:
Weakness: (GE) Issues with separating environment and genetic factors, these issues occur
mostly in late adoptions where adoptees may maintain regular contact with their biological
parents, this makes it tricky to measure the relative impact of genetics, therefore suggesting
that the relative impact of nature and nurture may only be possible with very early adoptions
where this contact does not occur.
, Strength: (NE) Support for link between crime and frontal lobe with brain evidence, Kandel
and Freed reviewed evidence of frontal lobe damage and antisocial behaviour (impulsivity,
emotional instability, inability to learn from mistakes), supports the idea that brain damage
may be a causal factor for offending behaviour.
Weakness: (NE) Intervening variables could contribute to APD and thus offending,
Harrington et al studied males with high scores of psychopathology who were raised by
convicted parents possibly neglected which could have led
Discuss Eysenck's theory of explaining the criminal personality - correct answer-Personality
theory suggests behaviour can be represented by 2 dimensions (introversion-extraversion
and neuroticism-stability), dimensions combine to form characteristics that are biological in
origin due to the nervous system that has been inherited, the criminal personality is high
levels of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism (a later added dimension), highy
extraverted: underactive nervous system so constantly seek stimulation and more likely to
take risks, neurotics: highly reactive sympathetic nervous system making them nervous,
jumpy and unpredictable, psychotics: thought to have high levels of testosterone, be
unemotional and prone to aggression, Eysenck linked criminal behaviour with socialisation,
in 'normal' individuals wrongdoing is avoided due to previous punishment which reduces the
likelihood of the behaviour being repeated, Eysenck claimed high extraversion and
neuroticism were less easily conditioned, therefore they do not learn from previous
punishment to avoid antisocial behaviours.
AO3:
Strength: Research support, Eysenck and Eysenck compared ~2000 male prisoner scores
on the EPQ with ~2400 male controls, it was found across all age groups that prisoners
recorded higher average scores in terms of E, N and P than the male controls, this agrees
with the prediction that offenders rate higher than average across all three dimensions
identified by the theory.
Weaknesses: Counterpoint, contradictory evidence, meta-analysis by Harrington et al
reported that offenders rated higher than average on P and E but not N, what's more
evidence from EEGs suggests inconsistencies between introverts and extroverts which casts
doubts on the physiological basis of the theory, meaning that some of the central
assumptions of the theory have been challenged. Cultural Factors, Bartol and Holanchock
studied Hispanic
Discuss cognitive explanations for offending behaviour - correct answer-AO1:
Cognitive explanations focus on the way criminals think, Kohlberg did this by applying the
concept of moral reasoning to offending behaviour, 3 levels of moral reasoning were
proposed (preconventional, conventional and postconventional), studies show that criminals
are likely to be in the preconventional level as they are more likely to reason through
avoiding punishment and gaining rewards, another cognitive explanation is cognitive
distortions, these are faulty irrational ways of thinking: hostile attribution bias (assumptions
can be made that others are being confrontational when they are not, as offenders often
misread cues as aggression) and minimisation (an attempt to deny or downplay the
seriousness of an event, (e.g. a burglar may use euphemisms such as 'doing a job').
AO3:
Strengths: (MR) Research support, Palmer and Hollin studied moral reasoning in male and
female non-offenders and convicted offenders with an SRM-SF, it was found that the
offender group showed less mature moral reasoning in th 11 moral dilemma-related
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