crime - what makes a criminal (biological)

Question 1

What does physiological mean?

Answer 1

• nature
  -comes from within
• genes ( warrior gene) , mesomorph, personality,
• Brunner

Question 2

what does non-physiological mean?

Answer 2

• nurture
• external factors
• family, friends, environment, drug usage

Question 3

Name two and outline the background studies for what makes a criminal

Answer 3

• Brunner: looked at MAOA and serotonin levels
  – researched 5 males and they had increased serotonin but lowered warrior gene levels
  – more aggressive
• Sheldon + Lombroso: mesomorph bodies more aggressive
• Jahoda: people born on wednesdays much more aggressive
  – over 5 years
  – Wed: 22% prison
  – Mon: 6.9% prison

Question 4

What was the Aim for Raine?

Answer 4

To see if violent offenders who committed murder and pleaded NGRI ( not guilty for reason of insanity) have brain disfunction

Question 5

what was the research method for Raine

Answer 5

• quasi experiment
• matched participants

Question 6

what was the sample for Raine?

Answer 6

• 41 murderes ( 6 with schizopherina)
• 41 non murderers ( 6 with schizopherina)
• ## they were off meds for 2 weeks

Question 7

what was the procedure for Raine?

Answer 7

• participants injected with tracer
• ppts did a continuous performance task where they had to press a button when they saw something on a screen
• done in PET scan
• done for 32 minutes
• PET scan used box technique and cortical peel technique

Question 8

What were the findings for Raine?

Answer 8

• no differences in the performance
• NGRI had more activity in the occipital region
• activity in corpus callosum decreased
• activity in prefrontal cortex aslo decrease

Question 9

what are the possible conclusions for Raine?

Answer 9

• There are different brain functions
• predisposed to violent behaviour e.g reduced activity in prefrontal cortex could result in loss of self control
• However we can’t use PET scan to diagnose murderers
• only studied on one group so can’t generalize

Question 10

what are the applications for what makes a criminal?

Answer 10

• omega 3 diet
  
  • raine gave 100 children omega 3 and their aggression reduced
• Lewinson: plastic surgery
  - facial reconstruction for criminals
  - 75% - 45% ( recidivism rates lowered)
• chemical castration
  
  • testosterone blocker so reduced aggression