psychological explainations of offending : Eysenek’s theory of crime

Question 1

what did eyseneck say about what leads to offending?

Answer 1

personality explains behaviour
- agreed with biological approach

Question 2

what personality types did eysenck say lead to offending?

Answer 2

1. extroverts = underactive nervous system so seek activities that are exciting - engage in risk taking behaviour
2. neurotic = overactive sympathetic branch(autonomous) - quick trigger for fight or flight response (nervous and jumpy)
3. psychotic = high testosterone - cruel, no empathy, aggressive

Question 3

how did eysenck measure criminality?

Answer 3

• eysenck personality questionaire (EPQ)

Question 4

what social factor is criminality a result of?

Answer 4

immediate gratification
- taught to be patient with gratification
- extroverts and neurotics are more difficult to condition
- difficult to learn that undesirable behaviors cause anxiety

Question 5

strength of eysenck’s theory of crime (research)

Answer 5

eysenck + eysenck compared 2000 criminals to 2500 non criminals after EPQ
- criminals had higher extravertism, neurtoism, psychoticism

Question 6

counter point to eysenck + eysenck’s study

Answer 6

gender bias

Question 7

limitation of eysenck’s theory of crime (validity)

Answer 7

self report - social desirability bias
- don’t want to admit they’re aggressive

Question 8

limitation of eysenck’s theory of crime (explaination)

Answer 8

cant be explained only by personality
- poor predictor
- reductionist
- moffit found distinction between offending that only occurs in adolescents and offending that carries on

Question 9

limitation of eysenck’s theory of crime (in dif + cultural bias)

Answer 9

• hispanic and african american criminals have less extravertism than control
• one personality type to explain all crime is unlikely