Psychological Explanation for Offending Behaviour – Eysenck’s Theory of the Criminal Personality Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality based on?
Eysenck proposed that the criminal personality is biologically based and results from the type of nervous system individuals inherit.
What characteristic do offenders have in Eysenck’s theory?
Offenders are said to have an under-aroused nervous system, leading them to seek stimulation and excitement.
What type of behavior is associated with an under-aroused nervous system?
This can result in sensation-seeking crimes such as joyriding or theft.
How do extraverts respond to punishment according to Eysenck?
Extraverts tend to be less conditionable, making them less deterred by punishment.
What does neuroticism in Eysenck’s theory imply?
Neuroticism means being prone to anxiety, irrationality, and emotional instability, which can explain impulsive, violent crimes.
What additional trait did Eysenck add to his theory?
Eysenck added psychoticism to account for cold, unemotional, and psychopathic behavior in offenders.
What is a strength of Eysenck’s theory?
A strength is that it has received supporting evidence through the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI).
What did Eysenck find when comparing prisoners to non-criminal controls?
He found that prisoners scored higher on extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism compared to non-criminal controls.
What is a limitation of Eysenck’s theory regarding personality types?
Some studies suggest offending is not limited to one personality type, as both introverts and extraverts have been linked to crime.
What example challenges the idea of a single criminal personality?
Introverts have been associated with crimes like school shootings.
What is another limitation of Eysenck’s theory related to environmental factors?
Eysenck’s theory may overlook environmental factors that influence traits like neuroticism.
What does the EPI indicate about individuals with high scores?
Not all people with high scores on the EPI go on to commit crimes, making it difficult to establish cause and effect.
What is a further limitation regarding biological determinism in Eysenck’s theory?
Eysenck’s theory suggests criminal behavior is caused by innate personality traits, raising ethical implications for the justice system.
What ethical question does biological determinism raise?
If behavior is outside of a person’s control, it raises questions about fairness in punishment.
