Criminal and Forensic Psychology lecture 2 --> Biological Basis of Criminal Behaviour - Modern Theories and Biosocial Perspectives
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- Created on: 14-10-20 15:44
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- Biological Basis of Criminal Behaviour - Modern Theories and Biosocial Perspectives
- Background
- Biosocial theory places emphasis on the connection between biology and the environment
- Evolutionary Perspectives
- Darwin - natural selection - traits that are most beneficial are passed down
- eg. aggression - stronger males = more female, more food + water, shelter etc --> beneficial to the individual therefore it has been passed down
- crime often concentrated in families
- having a parent is a strong correlate of criminality
- assortive mating - individuals mate with people similar to them
- similar personality, AS behav and intelligence
- Darwin - natural selection - traits that are most beneficial are passed down
- Behavioural Genetics
- examines rel between genes and environment (origin of individual diffs)
- examines extent to which a gene can influence a specific psychological trait (aka degree of heritability of crime)
- GENES DO NOT CAUSE CRIMINALITY - environmental stimuli may dispose a gene
- aggression, anger, impulsivity, low empathy may increase crim behav
- aggression, self-control and AS behav found to be stable over time
- stable traits = early interventions?
- aggression, self-control and AS behav found to be stable over time
- ADOPTION STUDIES
- Hutchings and Mednick
- criminal record of bio parents (more than ad parents) predicted future crim behav
- Kendler
- adopted children = increased risk when bio parents had one or more crim behav
- genetic risk (eg drug abuse) and environmental risk (eg. divorce) predicted crim behav
- Hutchings and Mednick
- TWIN STUDIES
- Lange
- 30 male prisoners - MZ = 77% had a crim brother, DZ = 12%
- Minnesota Twin Study - Bouchard
- although being raised separately, MZ twins =very similar personality, crim behav and AS behav
- Lange
- ACE model
- meta-analysis found low S-C, agg and AS behav were dominated by genes (60-95%
- Molecular Genetics
- examines specific genes, proteins, enzymes, and genetic combinations and how they interact with environmental stimuli
- Human Genome Project
- MAOA
- breaks down neurotransmitters in the brain (dopamine, serotonin)
- low activity of MAOA associated with crim behav
- combination of low MAOA + abuse/neglect in childhood = 10x more likely criminality
- more likely than those with just low MAOA or abuse / neglect
- these individs made up 12% of the study but were responsible for 44% of violent crimes
- Fergusson
- low MAOA in males who join gangs
- Untitled
- high testosterone, maternal tobacco smoking during preg, poor living standards, dropping out of school, and low IQ associated with LOW MAOA
- more HYPOsensitive or HYPERsensitive?
- low MAOA indivds had higher dACC activity (reponsible for rejection or status challenges)
- The Brain
- localisation and criminality
- limbic system - emotional and impulsive reactions (amygdala)
- frontal lobe - executive functions (impulsive control, consequence evaluation)
- Charles Whitman (Texas Tower Sniper)
- had a brain tumour pressing on his amygdala
- had seen a dcotor about 'overwhelming violent impulses'
- extreme emotional neglect = brain abnormalities and cognitively under-developed (Romanian orphans)
- long term alcohol / drug abuse can alter brain structure
- individual diffs in brain structures
- localisation and criminality
- Background
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