Physiological Theories Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are physiological theories of crime?
The way someone looks can affect whether people think that they are going to commit crime or not.
What are the 2 physiological theorists of crime?
Sheldon
Lombroso
What did Lombroso do?
He studied criminals on their physical traits that could distinguish them from non-criminals.
He worked in prisons and examined thousands of convicts, comparing their physical characteristics of criminals to non-criminals - argued its biological.
What did Lombroso find?
That there are physical traits which are common between criminals which include: sloping foreheads, large jaws, long arms, large ears, monkey like characteristics. He said that these criminals were atavistic - primitive (less evolved or human development). He believed that criminal behaviour was biologically determines and people with these traits were predisposed to commit crimes.
What did Lombroso conclude?
Born criminals - had inherited traits and physical anomalies.
Atavism - evolutionary throwbacks, criminality was a result of biological regression.
Physical markers - could identify born criminals
What is the cause of a criminaloid becoming criminal?
Committing crime due to environmental factors and have potential for rehabilitation
What were Lombroso’s strengths?
Scientific approach - foundation for future research, factual
Focus on criminal typology - differentiate between biological and environmental factors
Early influence on forensic science - physical evidence to identify criminals
What are Lombroso’s weaknesses?
Overemphasis on biology - ignored roles of social, economical and environmental factors
Unscientific methods - relies on subjective observations
Racial and cultural bias - associated certain physical features with criminal based on observations of athletic groups
Failure to consider the role of social conditions - not consider influence of poverty, education or social conditions.
What were Lombroso’s social policies?
Eugenics - control reproduction to improve genetic quality
Detention and isolation - developed separation of criminals from reinforcement
Punitive measures - cuddly to policies focused on biological traits and not social
Influence on modern criminology - foundation for more contemporary criminological factors
What did Sheldon do?
He classified individuals into three somatic types based on body shape and physique linking physical characteristics to crimes. Used a combination of physical measurements and psychological assessments to create correlation between body types and behaviour.
What did Sheldon find?
Endomorph - round, soft physique, sociable, relaxed and fun loving
Ectomorph - slim, delicate, introverted, anxious and intellectual
Mesomorphs - muscular athletic build, assertive, energetic and more likely to be aggressive
Which somatotype is more likely to commit crime based Sheldon’s theory?
Mesomorphs
What did Sheldon conclude?
Body type and behaviour - mesomorphs with their muscular athletic build were most likely to commit crime due to their aggression and physical dominance
Personality link - mesomorphs being more predisposed to criminal than ecto and endomorph, body types, personalities and behaviour linked
What was Sheldon’s strengths?
Connection between biology and behavioural - connection between physical traits and behaviour
Holistic approach - combined psychological sociological and physiological more integrated explanation
Early attempt at profile - groundwork for criminal profiling and behavioural analysis
What was Sheldon’s weaknesses?
Oversimplification - complex of relationship between body types and criminal behaviour ignoring social environment and psychological factors
Lack of empirical support - lacked factual scientific evidence criticise for not providing a strong and consistent data to support claims
Deterministic - based off our body types and neglected the role of personal choice social context or environmental influences
What were Sheldon social policies?
Discriminatory practices - led to stigmatisation of people with certain body type
Prejudice and profiling - based on physical appearances led to no discriminatory policies in law-enforcement or the CJS.
Gait recognition - identifies individual based on unique walking patterns: stride speed and posture to distinguish people
