Criminology Unit 6

Positivist theory

crime can be understood through science by measuring, observing, and identifying its causes, rather than relying on moral or philosophical reasoning. Human behavior is seen as determined, not a matter of free will. Scientific method, diagnose pathology, treatment/correction. Positivism transformed criminology into a scientific discipline

Astrology

used to predict human behavior through studying the alignment of the stars

Phrenology

attempted to determine intelligence and personality on the basis of the size and shape of the skull and posited that certain areas of the brain corresponded to various psychological and intellectual characteristics

Physiognomy

involves measuring facial and other body characteristics as indicative of human personality

Palmistry

analyzing a person’s character and future by examining the lines on the palm.

Biological positivism

Atavism

that people who commit crimes were throwbacks to an earlier and more primitive evolutionary period. Such criminals could be identified by certain physical stigmata outward appearance, particularly facial, which tended to distinguish them from noncriminal.

Physical stigmata

examples include heavy jaw and cheekbones, eye defects, large or small ears, strange nose shape, protruding lips, sloped forehead, etc.

Social Darwinism

there is a survival of the fittest among human beings and social institutions. The success or failure of individuals competing in society was not to be interfered with, because success or failure was all part of a natural system of societal evolution.

Feeblemindedness

a historical term used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe a range of mental deficiencies, viewed as a mild form of mental defect existing from an early age. This concept was part of a social hierarchy of mental deficiency, and the term is now considered outdated and is associated with the eugenics movement. While its causes were thought to include genetics and environmental factors, the modern understanding of developmental and intellectual disabilities has replaced this term

Somatotypes

body builds that relate to personal characteristics. Endomorphs have soft, round physiques and tend to be relaxed, easygoing and extroverted. Mesomorphs are hard and muscularly built and are aggressive, assertive, extroverted, and action seekers. Ectomorphs are thin and fragile of form as well as introverted, sensitive, and subject to worrying.

Nature versus nature controversy

whether criminality is determined by genetics or environment

Lobotomy

destruction of portions of the frontal lobes of the brain as a last resort for nonresponsive mental patients.

Monozygotic concordance

the percentage of identical (monozygotic) twin pairs that both share a specific trait or disease. It is a measure used in twin studies to help determine the relative influence of genetics versus environment. For example, if the monozygotic concordance rate for a specific eye color is 98%, it means that in 98 out of 100 identical twin pairs, both twins have that same eye color

XYY syndrome

also known as Jacob's syndrome, is a genetic condition in males characterized by an extra Y chromosome, resulting in a karyotype of (47,XYY). Common symptoms include above-average height, developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral or speech difficulties, though the severity varies widely. It is caused by a random event during sperm formation, is not inherited, and is diagnosed through genetic testing. No strong link to violence

Cheater Theory

claims that some men have been naturally selected to make lower parental investment than women by seeking numerous partners. Views more deviant men as developing an alterative reproduction strategy to support their reproduction

Gene environment interaction

a person’s genes may make them more sensitive to certain environmental characteristics. For example, a person may experience child abuse and also have genes that make it more difficult for them to handle traumatic events.

Epigenetics

study of how genes are expressed and the changes to this expression. Rather than focusing on how different gene variants, epigenetics focuses on how genes are turned on and off over time in response to environmental triggers.

Psychometry

the field that seeks to measure psychical and mental differences between criminals and noncriminal.

Behavioral modification

attempts to encourage positive behavior through the application of pleasure and pain

Psychological positivism

links crime to personality traits, placed greater emphasis on counseling and improving the lot of potential criminals