biological explanations for offending behaviour

Question 1

supporting evidence for the atavistic form

Answer 1

lombroso and sheldon

Question 2

what does lombroso support

Answer 2

atavisitic form, cranial characteristics

Question 3

what does sheldon support

Answer 3

atavistic form, somatotypes

Question 4

describe lombroso

Answer 4

examined the skulls of 383 dead criminals, and 3839 living criminals, and concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by the atavistic form

Question 5

describe sheldon

Answer 5

studied somatotypes, finding that male delinquents were much more likely to be mesomorphs

Question 6

contradictory evidence for atavistic form

Answer 6

goring

Question 7

what does goring contradict

Answer 7

atavistic form

Question 8

describe goring

Answer 8

found that criminals were more likely to have a lower IQ. however, he suggested this is likely to be a result of environmental factors, like a lack of education, rather than biological factors.

Question 9

support for genetic explanations

Answer 9

brunner et al, lange

Question 10

what does brunner et al. support

Answer 10

genetic explanations

Question 11

what does lange support

Answer 11

genetic explanations

Question 12

describe brunner et al.

Answer 12

conducted a case study of a family in which the male members were mentally retarded and violent. using urine samples and medical, school, and criminal records, they that this was caused by a mutation in the X chromosome of the gene responsible for MAOA, meaning levels of MAOA were higher.

Question 13

describe lange

Answer 13

conducted a twin study in which one twin had been to prison. 10 out of 13 MZ co-twins had also been to prison, only 2 out of 17 DZ co-twins had been to prison

Question 14

contradictory evidence for genetic and neural explanations

Answer 14

jim fallon

Question 15

what does jim fallon contradict

Answer 15

genetic and neural explanations

Question 16

describe jim fallon

Answer 16

fallon had been found to have the brain of a serial killer, with a defective MAOA gene, and lower activity in the prefrontal cortex. however, he was a professor with no criminal behaviour

Question 17

support for neural explanation

Answer 17

raine and keysers

Question 18

what does raine support

Answer 18

neural explanations, prefrontal cortex

Question 19

what does keysers support

Answer 19

neural explanations, mirror neurons

Question 20

describe raine

Answer 20

conducted brain scans on APD patients, finding reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, and an 11% in grey matter. the prefrontal cortex regulates emotional behaviour, causing APD symptoms of lack of guilt and remorse.

Question 21

describe keysers

Answer 21

found that mirror neurons dont function the same in those with APD and in a control group. mirror neurons allow us to feel empathy. participants with APD had to be told when they should be feeling empathy when watching a film of someone in pain.