Biological positivism part 2

Charles Goring

“The english convict” (1913)

• Goal: to assess Lombroso’s theory 

• Method: compared physical traits of criminals to non-criminals

• Findings: no evidence that criminals possess stigmata 

• But found strong correlations of criminality between fathers and sons and between brothers 

• Conclusions: there is a biological basis for criminal behaviour → criminality is inherited , however, environmental factors also play a role

• Studied non criminals and criminals but what if the non criminals committed crimes but did not get caught, and what if people in prison did not actually commit a crime and females were not included in this study 

• Recommendations: against harsh punishment and supported rehabilitation and social reform 

Richard Dugdale (1877)

• Conducted family study on criminality 

• Traced 7 generations of “the Jukes” in prison 

• Conclusions: crime and poverty runs in families 

• Heredity and environmental factors shape criminal behaviour 

• Criminals have lower levels of intelligence 

• Critiques: did not scientifically test for intelligence, was his own judgement 

• Recommendations: better education and social conditions 

The IQ Test

• Alfred Binet in France 1905

• Intelligence testing requires knowing the individuals:

1. Chronological age

• A child’s actual age in years

2. Mental age 

• The age at which the child’s test performance (on tasks involving memory, attention and problem solving that progress in difficulty) matches the average ability of children in that age group 

• Their age is the last test they could perform successful 

To Calculate IQ: mental age/ chronological age x 100

Average/ base score=100

What is the IQ of a 10 year old with a mental age of 12?

IQ=120

Purpose of IQ test:

• To identify “slower” learners

• To provide educational assistance 

Beliefs

• Test should not be used to label children’s inherent intellectual potential 

Why?

• Intelligence is not fixed and static 

• Intelligence can change over time 

Henry Goddard (1866-1957)

-popularized IQ tests in the U.S

-translated Binet’s IQ test to English ad administered them to residents at his institution 

-established scale of intelligence 

Idiot

•  mental age= 2 or younger

• IQ= 0 to 25

Imbecile

• Mental age= 3 to 7

• IQ=26 to 50

Moron 

• Mental age= 8 to 12

• IQ= 51 to 70

Normal 

• Mental age= 13 or higher 

Who was seen as the biggest threat

-Morons because it was deemed that they were just smart enough o get by and then they would reproduce and create more morons in society

The Kallikak Family

A study i the heredity of feeble-mindedness 

• Traced ancestry of feeble-minded resident Deborah Kallikak 

• Feeble- minded: a scientific term referring to those with a significantly below average level of intelligence 

• Her genetic flaw was traced back to her great great great grandfather Martin Kallikak who had children with two women 

• Women #1: Feeble-minded barmaid 

• Produced an illegitimate son 

• Son known as old horror and had 10 children and were all feeble-minded, poverty 

• Resulted in a line of degenerates-> Deborah was part of this lineage and inherited the defective gene 

Women #2: Righteous Quaker women

-resulted in a line of descendants who were respectable and upstanding citizens 

Goddard’s conclusion 

• The germ plasm that determined feeble-mindedness was passed down from generation to generation 

• IQ is innate and static → cannot be changed even with training 

• Theory 

• Feeble-mindedness is inherited, not Criminality 

• Thus, all criminals are feeble-minded 

• But not all feeble-minded individuals are criminals 

Application of IQ tests

Goal

• To identify feeble-minded immigrants attempting to enter the U.S

How

• administered IQ tests to newly arriving immigrants 

Findings: 

• Most immigrants were morons 

Implications of findings:

• Immigrants must be regulated 

• Led to deporations due to their mental deficiency 

• Led to the immigration act of 1924

But some immigrants are welcome..why?

• To fill low income jobs 

Application of IQ tests

Method

• U.S army administered IQ tests to WWI recruits

Findings

-⅓ of army recruits scored as feeble-minded 

-people were upset as they though soldiers were smarter, they were respected for serving their country 

Revisions to theory:

Intelligence is not innate and static 

Criteria for feeble-mindedness was lowered from mental age of 12 to 8

Francis Galton (1822-1911)

-promoted idea that intelligence, morality and criminality were inherited traits 

- society must stop interfering with natural selection and not assist inferior people 

Why?

-charity and social support undermines society by allowing inferior humans to survive and reproduce

-launched new ‘science’ and social movements of: Eugenics 

Eugenics (1883)

• Eu=well

• genes= born 

• Aim was to control human reproduction to promote desirable traits and eliminate undesirable traits 

• How?

• Negative eugenics: preventing from inferior people from reproducing, ex: Forced sterilization 

• Positive eugenics: encouraging the good people “good seed” to reproduce ex: better baby contest 

Implications of eugenics

Buck V Bell

• 1927 U.S supreme court decision 

• Legalized the sterilization of people considered “undesirable”

• Kerry Buck was raped by her foster brother and became pregnant but was not allowed to raise her child because she was feeble-minded 

Eugenics in Canada

-Alberta and BC passed the sexual sterilization act in 1928 (alberta), 1933 (BC) and ended in 1972 (alberta) and 1973 (BC)