eysenck

Question 1

strength: measurable

Answer 1

The theory is useful in describing how some measurable tendencies could increase a person’s risk of offending.

Question 2

strength: supporting studies

Answer 2

Eysenck predicts that high E, N and P scores lead to criminality and some studies support his predictions: offenders tend towards being extravert, neurotic and psychotic.

Question 3

weakness: Farrington

Answer 3

Farrington (1982) examined a range of studies. These show prisoners are neurotic and psychotic, but not extraverted.

Question 4

weakness: cause and effect

Answer 4

Evidence on prisoners shows a correlation between personality type and criminality, but this does not prove that personality type causes criminality. It could be the other way around: being in prison might cause people to become neurotic.