Explanation and evaluation of the easiest and best theories to use in the Unit 2 criminology exam
Including biological, genetic, individualistic, and sociological theories.
- 1 per 1000 males have an extra Y chromosome.
- In 1960’s – discovered the extra Y chromosome made them VIOLENT AND
AGGRESSIVE.
- Having the extra Y chromosome makes them ‘MORE MALE’
Evaluate
- Not all men are aggressive.
- Men can be aggressive without the extra Y chromosome.
- A study of 198 prisoners found that an extra Y chromosome doesn’t mean more
aggressive.
- Not representative.
- SFP – if they are told they are aggressive, they may become aggressive.
Twin Studies
- Monozygotic = identical twins formed from the same = share 100% same DNA
- Dizygotic = twins formed from two eggs = share 50% same DNA
- MZ twins share higher degree of concordance than DZ twins for criminal behaviour.
- 10/13 MZ twins had both served time / 2/17 DZ twins had both served time.
Evaluate
- Nurture vs Nature.
- MZ Twins are treated as one person – there must be a factor in committing crime.
Adoptive Studies
- Shared genes vs Shared Environments.
- Study with 14,000 adopted children found high proportion of boys with criminal
convictions had biological parents with criminal convictions.
- Link between aggression and genetics.
Evaluate
- Depends on how much they are socialised with birth family.
- Nurture vs Nature.
, Lombroso’s Atavism
- Lombroso argued that criminals could be identified through general characteristics
they shared with one another, which he designated as arranging a criminal type.
- His core idea was atavism, which means that he understood criminals to be
evolutionary throwbacks who were inferior to non-criminals.
- Features such as big jaws, high cheekbones, longer limbs, bigger noses.
Evaluate
- Completely undermined by poor sampling technique, bias in gathering data, poor
statistics
- His idea was that physical stigmata of criminality were intrinsically biological rather
than, often, the consequence of malnutrition and poverty.
- Had no control group.
-
Sheldon’s Somatotypes
- Sheldon believed that bodily build was linked to personality and temperament, so
ectomorphs were solitary and restrained, endomorphs relaxed and hedonistic, and
mesomorphs energetic and adventurous.
- Ectomorphs – skinny
- Endomorphs – fat
- Mesomorphs – muscular - CRIMINALS
Evaluate
- Ectomorphs and endomorphs can also be criminals.
- Body types aren't fixed throughout lives they can change.
- Mesomorphs can be treated differently because of how they look; they might be
labelled leading to self-fulfilling prophecy.
Biochemical explanations
- Sex hormones can impact on brain chemistry and mental processes, we accept this
for mental health issues, could it explain criminal behaviour.
- Blood sugar levels – hypoglycaemia can trigger aggressive reactions, can also be
linked to alcohol abuse. Consuming large quantities of alcohol can lower blood sugar
and increase aggression.
- Substance abuse - Illegal and legal substances, although some drugs are thought to
reduce aggression (cannabis, heroin, MDMA).
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