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Criminology Unit 2 > Unit 2 Exam > Flashcards

Unit 2 Exam Flashcards

1
Q

What did Lombroso say about criminals being ‘throwbacks’ ?

A

He argued that criminals were ‘throwbacks’ in time and their atavistic (primitive features) were biological characteristics from and earlier stage of human development manifesting and a tendency to commit crime

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2
Q

What did Lombroso suggest about the stigmata of a criminal, show ?

A

Lombroso suggested that stigmata of an individual could indicate their biological inferiority

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3
Q

What does atavistic mean ?

A

Physical Characteristics

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4
Q

How did Lombroso discover the “distinguishing features of criminality” ?

A

He compared male Italian prisoners to soldiers in a study where he found a number of ‘physical defects’ he thought to be the distinguishing features of criminality

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5
Q

Give three distinguishing features of criminality

A

A Large Jaw, Hard Shifty Eyes, Fleshy lips, An Insensitivity to Pain, Long Arms

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6
Q

Lombroso used autopsies as evidence to his idea that criminals were ‘throwbacks’ to forms of early man. What did he find ?

A

He found indentations within the back of his subjects skulls, which resembled those of apes (allowing him to conclude that criminals were throwbacks to form of early man)

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7
Q

Name a problem with Lombroso’s theory

A

He had no ethnic or gender diversity, so it is unknown if the results would be different for females or people who were not Italian

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8
Q

What did Sheldon argue that criminality was linked to ?

A

Body types and their partner Personalities

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9
Q

How many Somatotypes did Sheldon suggests there were, and what are they ?

A

Three. Mesomorph, Ectomorph, Endomorph

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10
Q

What did Sheldon say a Mesomorph was ?

A

Muscular and Hard, Aggressive and Adventurous

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11
Q

What did Sheldon say an Ectomorph was ?

A

Thin and Fragile, introverted and restrained

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12
Q

What did Sheldon say an Endomorph was ?

A

Fat and Soft, sociable and Relaxed

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13
Q

What did Sheldon find about about Mesomorphs, Ectomorphs and Criminality ?

A

Sheldon found that Mesomorphs were most likely to be criminal and Ectomorphs to be the least

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14
Q

What study did Sheldon use to also find a relationship between Endomorph and Delinquency ?

A

His study on 400 boys in a residential rehabilitation home for 8 years, where he monitored their growth and made extensive notes on their family background and criminal history

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15
Q

The Gluecks extensively studied Sheldon’s topology. How did they support his findings ?

A

They did a study of their own and found that 60% of the delinquent population were Mesomorphs, and 30% were Endomorphs

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16
Q

What do Learning Theories focus on?

A

The role of rewards, punishments and role models

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17
Q

Who introduced the idea of Operant Conditioning?

A

B.F Skinner

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18
Q

What is operant conditioning?

A

The idea that the consequences of a behaviour can change the way someone acts, can influence the way others act, or can cause people to reoffend

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19
Q

What is positive reinforcement?

A

A form of operant conditioning. It involves receiving something good for an action, encouraging the behaviour to be repeated

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20
Q

What is negative reinforcement?

A

A form of operant conditioning. It involves a response/behaviour that occurs by having a negative outcome or unpleasant event occur due to your action

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21
Q

What is punishment?

A

Another form of operant conditioning. It involves a negative event following an action which makes you less likely to repeat

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22
Q

What does social learning theory suggest?

A

That people turn to crime because they have learnt to be criminal by observing or imitating role models

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23
Q

Social learning theorists believe people turn to crime due to two main things… what is Direct Reinforcement?

A

The act of being rewarded for committing crimes

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24
Q

Social learning theorists believe people turn to crime due to two main things… what is Indirect Reinforcement?

A

The act of seeing others being rewarded for crime

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25
How did Albert Bandura try to test the ideas put forward by social learning theory?
He conducted the Bobo Doll Study
26
What did Bandura do in his Bobo Doll study?
36 boys and 36 girls aged 3-6. Split into groups. 24 were exposed to an aggressive model and 24 were exposed to a passive model. They were then split again so that half the children would be exposed to a same sex role model. The child would be put in a room and made to watch the model play with the Bobo doll, and depending on the role model it would play aggressively. The child would later be placed in an 'experimental room' where they could play for 20 minutes with toys and the Bobo doll themself
27
What did the results of the Bobo doll study show?
Children who were exposed to violent behaviour played violently, children who were exposed to gentle behaviour played gently-- the experiment demonstrated that children are able to learn through social behaviour such as aggression (observation and imitation), supporting Bandura's theory
28
What did Bandura find concerning gender ?
The children were more influenced by role models of the same gender
29
Bandura later retested the experiment and showed the importance of vicarious reinforcement. What did he find?
He found that children who saw someone being rewarded for playing aggressively would be more likely to imitate the behaviour than those who saw someone being punished
30
How can social learning theory explain why people commit crime?
Criminals are conditioned to believe violent behaviour is normal and therefore if children see violent behaviour happening around them, then they may do the same because they believe its normal
31
Give 3 strengths of Bandura's social learning theory
- Bandura repeated the experiment years later and the results were replicated-- making it more reliable - The experiment and its variables such as gender, actions etc...were controlled, improving the accuracy - Not deterministic as it suggests people can change
32
Give 3 weaknesses of Bandura's social learning theory
- Unethical to use children in this way - Not all observed behaviour is easily imitated - Took place in a lab (artificial settings), therefore the findings may not be valid for real-life situations
33
What polices have been informed by learning theories ?
Token Economy
34
How did Operant Conditioning inform policy development?
It allowed for the creation of the Token Economy System within Prisons
35
What is Token Economy also known as?
The Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme
36
What is Token Economy?
A behaviour modification policy that focuses on the Positive Reinforcement of Prisoners with Tokens for admired behaviour
37
What can tokens be exchanged for?
Luxuries
38
What happens if an inmate shows delinquent or bad behaviours? What is this?
They can be taken off of the system, and stripped of any tokens and luxuries (Negative Reinforcement)
39
What was Token Economy influenced by?
Operant Conditioning
40
What are social values?
Rules that are shared by most people in a culture or the ideas that they hold in value. They are more general guidelines than norms
41
Give an example of a social value
- How most people feel as if the elderly should be respected | - That seats on public transport should be given up for old people to sit on
42
What is a Norm?
Social expectations that guide behaviour
43
What is a Social Expectation?
The expected behaviour of a society (that can change from culture to culture)
44
What is the result of a change in Social Values, Norms and Morals?
Changes to law and or policy
45
What might change accordingly as society becomes increasingly tolerant?
Norms and Values
46
What has a significant impact on policy development?
A change in social values and attitudes
47
Back in the 16th Century, Homosexuality was punishable by death. What happened in the 19th Century?
Homosexuality had the death penalty removed as a punishment, but was still illegal
48
When was Homosexuality decriminalized?
1967
49
What did the increasing tolerance around homosexuality within society cause?
More pressure on the government, leading to new laws introducing equality
50
What happened in 2004 in relation to Homosexuality?
The Civil Partnership Act was passed, allowing same sex partnerships
51
What happened in 2013 in relation to Homosexuality?
The Marriage Act was passed, allowing same sex couples to get married
52
What did the huge tone shift around homosexuality introduce and result in?
Laws that make it a criminal offence to discriminate against someone on the grounds of their sexual orientation, which resulted in the Equality Act 2010
53
Back in the early 1960s almost everybody smoked. But how many knew about the health issues it caused and what were they?
Around less than half of Americans actually knew that smoking caused health problems like Lung Cancer and Heart Disease
54
What made Smoking a social norm?
The fact that almost everybody did it, and that it was marketed everywhere
55
When was the first report on the relationship between Smoking and Health and what did it show?
1964. It showed that there was a strong link between Smoking, Lung Cancer and therefore Heart Disease
56
How has the Social Norm promoting smoking changed?
The environment around smoking has changed to make tobacco less attractive
57
What methods were used to change the Social Norm around smoking?
The use of graphic images on cigarette boxes and the basic advertisement of health issues that are and can be caused by smoking
58
What two prominent policies have been publically used by governments to try and 'crackdown' on smoking?
- Making smoking illegal in specific areas | - Making smoking punishable by a fine in specific areas
59
Give an example of a Campaign against smoking
ASH (Action on Smoking and Health)
60
What do ASH campaign?
They campaign for public health and try to eliminate the harm caused by Tobacco
61
Over recent years, campaigning against the smoking of cigarettes has resulted in numerous pieces of restrictive legislation. Give an example - (2002)
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 banned the advertising and promotion of tobacco products
62
Over recent years, campaigning against the smoking of cigarettes has resulted in numerous pieces of restrictive legislation. Give an example - (2006)
The Health Act 2006 then went on to prohibit smoking in enclosed and substantially enclosed work and public area
63
At the beginning of the 20th century, women had very few legal and political rights. What was the Stereotype of a married woman?
That they would be the one to stay at home and look after the children as well as cook and clean, while the husband went out to work
64
At the beginning of the 20th century, what stereotypical jobs did unmarried women have?
Teaching, Waitress or Cooking
65
What did the Suffragette Movement (1903) fight for and what did women do?
The right to vote, as women would rebel against marriage, seeking education and inequality
66
What was a positive consequence of the Suffragette Movement in 1903?
Society slowly started to change its views about women and witnessed the passage of legislation
67
In 1928, what ability was introduced to support Women's Rights?
The ability for both women and men to vote
68
What did the 1960s Women's Liberation Movement introduce?
New policies concerning equality, as well as some that touched upon issues of education, discrimination and employment
69
In 1970, what policy was introduced to support Women's Rights?
The Equal Pay Act which made it illegal to women lower rates than men for the same work
70
In 1975, what policy was introduced to support Women's Rights?
The Sex Discrimination Act 1970 made it illegal to discriminate against women in work, education and training
71
What do we run the risk of producing when we break a socially defined rule?
Negative reactions and receiving sanctions
72
What four categories can the social setting be broken down into?
Time, Place, Culture and Social Setting
73
What is a cross-cultural difference?
Situations in which the culture of one place legalizes a certain act, but the culture of another makes it illegal
74
Give an example of a cross-cultural difference (Assisted Suicide)
In Switzerland, Assisted suicide is not a criminal offence, but an act of deviance. However, in England and Wales it is illegal and punishable by Formal Sanctions
75
Give an example of a cross-cultural difference (Adultery)
In England, Wales and other European countries, Adultery is considered as deviant, but not a criminal offence. However, in some American states, and countries governed by Islamic Law (Saudi Arabia or Pakistan), it is seen to be extremely sinful and therefore a crime
76
What is the Territoriality Principle?
The idea that each country governs its own people and that its laws apply within its borders to be able to suit the needs of those people
77
How can laws change from place to place?
Territoriality makes sure that a country's laws are well suited to the needs of its people. Because of this, its laws could be different to that of others
78
Why might a law change over time? (Give Four)
Moral Panics, A Change In Public Opinion, A New Government/Monarch/Ruler, A Change In Culture, Technological Advancements
79
Give an example of how Capital Punishment has changed over time
Capital Punishment used to be used to punish over 200 offences, sometimes even for things as simple as pick pocketing. However, now it is only used for more serious crimes (such as serial murder)
80
Laws can change from place to place. Give an example (Jaywalking)
Jaywalking is a criminal offence in most areas of the USA, as well as Canada, Singapore and Poland. However, there is no such law in England and Wales
81
Laws can change from place to place. Give an example (Cannabis Possession)
Cannabis is illegal to possess within England and Wales, but in countries such as Uruguay and some states of America, it is legal
82
What is social control?
Social Control is the enforcement of conformity by society upon its members, through law or social pressure
83
What is Double Deviance?
The idea that a woman is 'Doubly Deviant' due to the fact that they have broken the law and deviated from the gender norms about how women should be the ones to behave
84
Give 2 strengths of Skinners operant conditioning ?
- Skinners studies of learning in animals show that they learn from experience through reinforcement. Some human learning is also this kind - This can be applied to offending. Jefferey states that if crime leads to more rewarding than punishing outcomes for an individual, they will be more likely to offend
85
Give 3 weaknesses of Skinners operant conditioning ?
- Operant learning theory is based on studies of learning in animals. This is not an adequate model of how humans learn criminal behaviour - The theory ignores internal mental processes such as thinking, personal values and attitudes. It explains criminal behaviours solely in terms of external rewards and punishments - Human have free will and can choose their course of action
86
What policy was influenced by Eysenck’s theory ?
Aversion therapy
87
What is Aversion therapy ?
Aversion therapy applies to Eysenck’s personality theory to treatment of sex offenders. Eysenck states that criminals tend to be strongly extravert and neurotic. This makes them harder to condition because they are more resistant to learning through punishment.
88
What happens in aversion therapy ?
- Offenders are asked to think about an unacceptable sexual fantasy until they are aroused. - A strongly aversive stimulus (one the individual would choose to avoid) is then administered, such as an electric shock or a nausea-inducing drug. - The procedure is repeated until the offender comes to associate the deviant arousal and the stimulus. The aim is to stop the thoughts and thus stop the offending behaviour.
89
Is Aversion therapy effective ?
Aversion therapy has had very limited success, usually only short term, and its use in attempting to 'cure' gay people has also been criticised as a human rights abuse.
90
3 strengths of Lombroso’s theory
- Lombroso was the first to study crime scientifically, using objective measurements to gather evidence. Crime was previously believed to be a moral or religious issue - His research showed the importance of examine clinical records of criminals - By arguing that offenders are not freely choosing to commit crime, lombrosso helps us to focus on how we can prevent crime rather than simply punishing offenders
91
3 Limitations of Lombroso’s theory
- Research since has failed to show a link between facial features and criminality - Lombroso failed to compare his findings on prisoners with a control group of non-criminals, leaving no gender or ethnic diversity - By describing criminals as ‘primitive savages’, Lombroso equates non-western societies with criminals. Form of racism
92
2 strengths of Sheldons theory
- Other studies support his findings, Glueck and Glueck found 60% of criminals to be Mesomorphs - The most serious offenders in Sheldon sample were those with extremely Mesomorphic bodies
93
3 Limitations of Sheldons theory
- Criminals may develop a mesomorphic body build as a result of needing to be physically tough to succeed. If so criminality causes somatotypes - Sheldon doesn’t account for Ectomorphs and endomorphs who do commit crimes. Nor does he explain whether Mesomorphs commit crimes other than violence - Labelling may play a part. Mesomorphs may be labelled as troublemakers because they fit the ‘tough guy’ stereotype. Leading to a self fulfilling prophecy

Criminology Unit 2 (10 decks)

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