Evolutionary Psychology Perspective in Criminal Behaviour

Question 1

All behaviour is…

Answer 1

…a product of evolved psychological mechanisms combined with enviornmental inputs

Question 2

A complete understanding of criminal behaviour…

Answer 2

…requires a focus on how evolution has shaped our minds.

Question 2

Distal Cause

Answer 2

explanation of human social behaviour by considering the larger context in which individuals carry out their actions.

Question 3

APS 2020

Answer 3

study on mate preferences of men and women across 45 different countries

Question 4

Sexual Selection Theory

Answer 4

• genes produce traits of reproductive success increase in frequency
• increase odds of mate selection and access to mates through Intra-sex Competition
• males are more likely to be bigger, more aggressive and have sepcialised weaponry
• sexual selection - human males are physically stronger, more aggressive and more likely to take risks
• sexual selection - men being more likely to use violence to gain something

Question 5

Intra-Sex Competition

Answer 5

ammong mammals, males compete more vigorously for access to females

Question 6

Parental Investment Theory

Answer 6

• females invest significantly more in offspring than males
• females have larger sex cells and are more responsible for a greater proportion of infant care
• so sex can be far more ‘costly’ for females as they invest more
• the less investing sex will compete for access to the more investing sex
• the ratio of fecund male to fecund females will always be higher
• PIT is also responsible for different psychologies of males and females such as Mate Guarding strategies involved in Sexual Jealousy
• male are more jealous when threatened by sexual infidelity than females
• negative mate guarding consequences result in physical and sexual violence

Question 7

Fecund

Answer 7

the potential of bearing children

Question 8

Non-violent Crimes

Answer 8

• females are more likely to be poor but poor males are more likely to engage in crime
• females value men with resources
• males then compete to get the resources
• males lacking resources find it more difficult to acquire a mate
• therefore, crimes in an effort to get resources like theft and robbery are male-dominated

Question 9

Conclusions…

Answer 9

Evolutionary Psychology Perspective using SS & PIT explains why:
- violent crimes = males > females
- crimes across history = male > females
- victims of physical violence = males (intra-sex competition)
- victims of sexual violece = females
- males influenced by society to be violent and aggressive.