Biological Expls for Offending behaviour: FORENSIC PSYCH

Question 1

WHO developed Atavistic form and WHEN

Answer 1

Lombroso 1876

Question 2

What is Atavistic form

Answer 2

-A biological approach in offending that attributes activity to the fact that offenders are genetic throwbacks
-primitive subspecies which lack evolutionary development so are ill suited to conform to the rules of a modern society.
-This results in them turning to crime.
-Such individuals are distinguishable by particular facial + cranial characteristics which link to a particular type of offence

Question 3

define the word Atavistic

Answer 3

relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

Question 4

Atavistic characteristics examples

Answer 4

-Narrow, sloping brow
-Prominent jawline
-High cheekbones
-Facial asymmetry
-Dark skin
-extra toes, fingers, nipples

Question 5

atavistic characteristics of murderers

Answer 5

-Bloodshot eye
-curly hair
-Long ears

Question 6

atavistic characteristics of Sexual deviants

Answer 6

-Glinting eyes
-Swollen
-Fleshy lips
-Projecting ears

Question 7

Lombroso’s research

Answer 7

Research into Atavistic form. Examined skulls of 383 dead convicts to 3839 living convicts . Lombroso concluded that 40% of criminal acts were committed by someone with atavistic characteristics

Question 8

4 main Genetic studies of Criminal behavior

Answer 8

-Twin studies
-Adoption studies

-Candidate genes
-Diathesis stress model

Question 9

Twin studies

Answer 9

-illustrate importance of genes
-Used to analyse concordance rates

Question 10

what are concordance rates

Answer 10

the number/percentage of twin pairs who both display a pair of characteristics

Question 11

if a behaviour is more genetic than environmental, we would expect to find a higher concordance rate between…

Answer 11

Monozygotic twins as they share more of their genetics than Dizygotic twins

Question 12

What did Christiansen 1977 do

Answer 12

Sample = 3500 pairs of twins from Denmark (all twin pairs born between 1880-1910). Offending behaviour was checked against Daish police records. Found 35% MZ, 12% DZ

Question 13

Adoptions studies

Answer 13

look at effect of genes on children who are not raised by their biological parents. This means that the environmnet the child grows up in will be different to that of their biological parents

This makes it easier to see whether genes or the environment affect the childs behaviour

Question 14

what did Crowe do in 1972

Answer 14

Found that adopted children who’s biological mother had a criminal record had a 50% risk of having a criminl record by the age of 18 - whereas adopted children who’s biological mother did not have a criminal record only had a 5% risk

Question 15

What are Candidate genes?

Answer 15

genes that can lead to a genetic vulnerability to a certain condition

Question 16

what two Candidate genes are focused on

Answer 16

MAOA Gene

CDH13 Gene

Question 17

MAOA Gene . what is

Answer 17

-Gene codes for break down of neurotransmitters in the brain
-NT’s allow nerve cells in brains t communicate
-People with low levels of MAOA activity therefore do not break down these neurotransmitters as effectively, result in in higher levels of serotonin which makes aggressive behaviour more likely
MAOA gene :. nicknamed he ‘warrior gene’ bc of its association with high aggression

Women = 2x copies of MAOA gene
MEn = 1x copy
:. Men more likely to commit crime

Question 18

what si the CDH 13 gene

Answer 18

Another potential MAOA gene
-Responsible for the production of a protein adhesive that sits around membranes in the brain
-Low levels of CDH13 have been linked to substance abuse and alcoholism

Question 19

Tiihonen et al (2015)

Answer 19

Gathered DNA info from almost 800 Finnish prisoners.
Compared the DNA of prisoners against whether prisoners had committed a violent crime,

Found 5-10% of all severe violent crimes were attributed to low activity in MAOA and CDH13 gene

Question 20

Diathesis stress model

Answer 20

Behavior is explained as the result of a n underlying vulnerability (diathesis) and a trigger, both of which are necessary for the behavior to be shown. The underlying vulnerability is known as a predisposition

Question 21

Diathesis stress model in context to Criminality

Answer 21

A person may have biological tendencies towards criminal behaviour, but an environmental trigger is also needed for the person to take part in criminal behaviour. Therefore, the diathesis stress model suggests that criminal behaviour may not be completely explained by biological factors

Question 22

Three types of diathesis/stress factors

Answer 22

Biological

Social

Psychological

Question 23

example of biological diathesis factors to criminality

Answer 23

genes, disorders, brain anomalies

Question 24

example of Social diathesis factors to criminality

Answer 24

maladaptive upbringing, chronic stress

Question 25

example of psychological diathesis factors to criminality

Answer 25

Maladaptive cognitions, poor skills, unconscious conflictions

Question 26

example of Social stress factors to criminality

Answer 26

Traumatic events , major loss

Question 27

example of biological stress factors to criminality

Answer 27

onset of disease, exposure to toxins

Question 28

example of psychological stress factors to criminality

Answer 28

perceived loss of control

Question 29

Neural expls of offending behaviour

Answer 29

Any explanation of behaviour in terms of dysfunctions of the brain and nervous system

Question 30

Pre frontal cortex in criminal behaviour

Answer 30

Part of the brain that regulates emotional behavior.

Brain scans have shown reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex when scanning the criminal brain

Question 31

Anti-social personality disorder (APD)

Answer 31

Personality disorders and mental health conditions that affect how someone thinks, perceives, feels and relates to others

Question 32

Characteristics of APD

Answer 32

-Reduced emotional responses
-Impulsive
-Lack of empathy
-Reckless disregard for safety
-irritable
-Aggressive

Question 33

mirror neurone on criminal behaviour

Answer 33

Special brain cells which fire in both response to personal actions and in response to action on the part of others

Mirror neurones are involved in social cognition allowing us to interpret intention and emotions in others

Research = people with APD can experience empathy but more sporadically than those without

Question 34

Raine (2000) found

Answer 34

11% reduction in volume of grey matter in the pre-frontal cortex of people with APD compared to controls

Question 35

Raine also conducted various studies of ADP brain and found

Answer 35

several dozen studies which demonstrate that individuals with ADP have reduced activity in their pre frontal cortex

Question 36

Keysers Found (2011)

Answer 36

Criminals empathy reaction (controlled by mirror neurones) only showed when asked to

suggests people with APD are not totally without empathy, but may have a neural ‘switch’