Trait Theories - Criminology - Lecture Slides, Slides of Criminology

Download Trait Theories - Criminology - Lecture Slides and more Slides Criminology in PDF only on Docsity! He ae ame ; Trait Theories” = ee 4 er < , om ; =. f~. X - 2s = ‘ ® docsity.com Foundations of Trait Theory • The view that criminals have physical or mental traits that make them different or abnormal  William Sheldon suggested somatotype (body-build) makes people susceptible to delinquent behavior • Mesomorphs – muscular/athletic (aggression) • Ectomorphs – tall/thin (intellectual) • Endomorphs – heavy/slow (fences) docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Biosocial theorists argue physical, environmental, and social conditions work in concert to produce behavior docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Learning Potential and Its Effect on Individual Behavior Patterns  The physical and social environment interact to either limit or enhance capacity for learning  Biochemistry and cellular interaction control learning  Instinct: Some biosocial theorists contend learning is influenced by instinctual drives (rape or desire of males to control females) docsity.com Personal Characteristics Social Environment Make Each Person Unique Influences Behavior ¢ Biochemical makeup Parents * Genetic code ¢ Peers © Neurological condition © Schools ¢ Neighborhood & Human behavior A © 2006 Wadsworth - Thomson docsity.com Conformity Crime Biological Trait Theories - Weblink: http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=PTO-20030514-000001 F: ® docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Hormonal influences: Some trait theorists suggest biochemical factors contribute to criminality (James Q. Wilson) • Hormones may explain why males age-out of crime • Abnormal levels of male sex hormones (androgens) and testosterone have been linked to aggressive behavior • High androgen levels increase stimulation and quest for thrills (left hemisphere of neocortex) docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Premenstrual Syndrome: PMS linked to aggression in females • Allergies: Defined as unusual or excessive  Cerebral allergies: affect the nervous system and produce enzymes which affect behavior • Environmental Contaminants: Lead, copper, cadmium, mercury and inorganic gases  Lead levels: Linked to aggressive behavior (Deborah Denno) docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Genetics and Crime  Some trait theorists suggest personality traits may be genetically determined  XYY theory in the 1970s believed to be associated with violent crime in males  Parental Deviance: children inherit criminal tendencies from their criminal parents  Sibling Similarities: The effect appears greatest among same sex siblings  Twin Behavior: identical twins (monozygotic) research suggests criminal tendencies are due to genes and not environment (findings are controversial)  Adoption Studies: research supports a genetic basis for criminality (Mednick) docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Evolutionary Theory  The competition for scarce resources has influenced and shaped the human species  Impulsive risk-taking behavior becomes intergenerational (passed down from parents)  Gender and Crime: Most aggressive males have the greatest number of offspring and impact the gene pool • Rushton’s Theory of Race and Evolution: Migration produced evolutionary changes in behavior • R/K Selection Theory: Holds the “R” along a continuum reproduce rapidly compared to those along the “K” end who reproduce slowly • Cheater Theory: suggests a subpopulation of men has evolved with genes that leads to cunning methods to gain sexual conquests docsity.com Biological Trait Theories • Evaluation of the Biological Branch of Trait Theory  Critics charge biological theories are racist and dysfunctional  Biological explanations do not account for geographical variations in crime  Lack of empirical testing docsity.com Psychological Trait Theories • Crime and Mental Illness  Personality disorders are referred to as psychosis  Paranoid Schizophrenia: Delusions of wrongdoing and persecution  Despite evidence of mental illness: Recidivism among mentally disordered is less than the general population docsity.com Psychological Trait Theories • Behavioral Theory  Human actions are developed through learning experiences  Social Learning Theory: Social learning theorists argue that people learn aggression through life experiences  Violence is learned via behavior modeling (family interaction, environmental experiences, and mass media) • An event that heightens arousal • Aggressive skills • Expected outcomes • Consistency of behavior with values docsity.com Psychological Trait Theories • Cognitive Theory  Focuses on how people perceive and mentally represent the world around them and solve problems • Moral development: (Jean Piaget) People obey the law to avoid punishment • Humanistic psychology: Self-awareness approach • Information Processing: How people process, store, encode, retrieve, and manipulate information docsity.com BEHAVIORAL Characteristic Cause © 2006 Wadsworth - Thomson docsity.com Public Policy Implications of Trait Theory • Important influence on crime control and prevention programs  Primary prevention programs seek to treat personal problems before they manifest into criminal behavior  Secondary prevention programs provide treatment after one has violated the law  Use of mood-altering chemicals such as lithium, pemoline, imipramine, phenytoin, benzodiazepines to control behavior docsity.com