CHAPTER 4
Early Biological Perspectives on Criminal Behavior
Chapter 4 Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each of the following.
1. How does research in suggest diet affects behavior among prison inmates?
a. Poor nutrition lowers levels of violent behavior among prison inmates
b. Good nutrition reduces antisocial behavior among prison inmates
c. There is no significant relationship between nutrition and social behavior
d. Good nutrition is related to a reduction in violent behavior but not to other antisocial
behavior
2. Which of the following would be most characteristic of a contemporary biological theorist?
a. A study looking at facial features and body type as indicators of criminality
b. An examination of family trees to identify inherited criminal traits
c. A focus on diet and environmental contaminants as a way of explaining behavior
d. A theory that downplays the role of the social environment in producing behavior
3. Biological theories tend to focus on _________ as the major determinant in controlling
human behavior.
a. the brain
b. chromosomal makeup
c. hormones
d. the environment
4. Biological theory states that the basic determinants of human behavior are __________ based.
a. constitutionally
b. psychologically
c. economically
d. deviance
5. Which of the following statements would probably not be made by a biological criminologist?
a. Biological differences between men and women may explain gender differences in
crime rates
b. A tendency towards crime may be inherited
c. Individual free will is linked to variations in crime rates
d. Some humans may be further along the evolutionary ladder than others
6. Biological theories assumes that human behavior is rooted in instinctive behavioral responses
such as
a. psychical abuse.
b. territoriality.
c. mental abuse.
d. intellectuality.
7. Biological theories believe that crime causation can be understood by studying the interplay of
all of the following except
a. the social environment.
b. biology.
c. heredity.
d. psychology.
8. According to positivism, how is valid knowledge acquired?
a. Observation
b. The exercise of reason
c. Adherence to belief
d. Rational deduction
9. A positivist would be most likely to argue in favor of
a. free will.
b. rational choice theory.
c. social determinism.
d. a social contract.
10. Which of the following crime control policies would be most likely to be proposed by an
early positivist criminologist?
a. An increase in the use of three-strikes laws
b. Determinate sentencing
c. Environmental design
d. Forced sterilization of convicted offenders
11. Phrenology focused on
a. evolutionary biology.
b. the correspondence of the shape of the skull to the shape of the underlying brain.
c. the identification of criminal families.
d. natural selection.
12. The scientific study of the relationships between human physical characteristics and
criminality is called
a. Darwinism.
b. criminal anthropology.
c. biological theory.
d. phrenology.
13. Which of the following physical feature would not be an appropriate indicator of atavism?
a. Powerful jaws
b. Thin lips
c. A weak chin
d. Prominent tattoos
14. According to Lombroso, which category of offenders should include someone who was
tempted to commit a crime by a situational or environmental factor?
a. Born criminals
b. Criminaloids
c. Insane offenders
d. Atavists
15. _________ theories explain criminality by reference to offenders’ body types, genetics, or
external physical characteristics.
a. Psychological
b. Sociobiological
c. Constitutional
d. Somatotyping
16. According to William Sheldon, _______ have the greatest likelihood of becoming criminal
offenders.
a. ectomorphs
b. mesomorphs
c. endomorphs
d. balanced types
17. Santa Claus is typical of which of William Sheldon’s body types?
a. Ectomorphs
b. Mesomorphs
c. Endomorphs
d. Balanced type
18. The studies of the Juke and the Kallikak families emphasized _________ as the primary
source of criminality.
a. environment
b. ecology
c. genetics
d. psychology
19. Which of the following social policies was developed during the eugenics movement?
a. Selective human breeding
b. Situational crime control
c. Territoriality
d. Chromosomal defenses
20. Studies focusing on inherited mental degeneration led to the development of _________
criminology.
a. classical
b. eugenic
c. radical
d. conflict
21. Which abnormal chromosomal structure is associated with the concept of a “supermale”?
a. XY
b. XXY
c. XXX
d. XYY
22. Which of the following research results would provide the strongest evidence for the belief
that criminal behavior has a genetic component?
a. A larger percentage of MZ twin pairs display the same degree of criminality
b. A larger percentage of DZ twin pairs display the same degree of criminality
c. Equal percentages of MZ and DZ twin pairs display the same degree of criminality
d. The degree of criminality among twin pairs is similar to that found among non-twin
siblings
23. According to Konrad Lorenz, much of what we call “crime” is the result of
a. neuroses.
b. body types.
c. overcrowded living conditions.
d. free will
24. Konrad Lorenz’ greatest contribution to the study of human behavior was his
a. acceptance of Darwin’s thesis that aggression within a species favored the strongest
and best animals in the reproductive process.
b. conclusion that crowding increases the likelihood of aggression.
c. belief that human aggression takes on covert forms.
d. his claim that all human behavior is to some degree adapted instinctive behavior.
25. Sociobiology is the systematic study of the _______ basis of all social behavior.
a. biological
b. psychological
c. sociological
d. economic
26. Which theoretical paradigm was developed by Edward O. Wilson?
a. Sociobiology
b. Positivism
c. Biosocial criminology
d. Eugenic criminology
27. The creation of street gangs and separatist groups is an example of the sociobiological
principle of
a. altruism.
b. tribalism.
c. tokenism.
d. territoriality.
28. Which of the following is not a criticism of sociobiology?
a. It does not identify the importance of culture, social learning, and individual
experiences in shaping behavior
b. It fails to integrate biology into the basic paradigm
c. It does not properly depict basic human behavior
d. There is no rational basis for applying findings from animal studies to humans
29. One concern with early biological theories is their dismissal of the concept of
a. free will.
b. heredity.
c. positivism.
d. genetic determinism.
Chapter 4 True-False
Choose whether each statement is true or false.
1. The field of criminology has been quick to give credence to biological theories of deviant
behavior.
a. True
b. False
2. Early biological theorists considered a variety of influences on behavior, such as diet,
hormones, and environmental contaminants.
a. True
b. False
3. Biological theories believe some humans may be further along the evolutionary ladder than
others. a. True
b. False
4. Contemporary biosocial theorists see the interaction between an individual and his or her
environment as the key determining factor in most behavior.
a. True
b. False
5. Positivism emphasizes measurement and observation.
a. True
b. False
6. Positivism is based on a belief in free will.
a. True
b. False
7. Gall located the roots of the personality in the brain.
a. True
b. False
8. An offender who was identified as a criminaloid by Lombroso would not have atavistic traits.
a. True
b. False
9. Modern research does not support the existence of any link between criminality and physical
abnormalities.
a. True
b. False
10. Endomorphs are most likely to engage in delinquent or criminal behavior.
a. True
b. False
11. Eugenic criminology accepts the idea of genetic determinism.
a. True
b. False
12. Both men and women can exhibit the XYY chromosomal abnormality.
a. True
b. False
13. Recent research suggests that there is no relationship between the XYY chromosomal pattern
and excessive violent behavior.
a. True
b. False
14. Research using twins generally does not show support for the existence of genetic influences
on criminality.
a. True
b. False
15. Konrad Lorenz considered the drive for wealth and power to be more civilized forms of
human aggression in modern times
a. True
b. False
16. Konrad Lorenz’s greatest contribution to the study of human behavior is his claim that all
human behavior is adapted instinctive behavior.
a. True
b. False
16. According to sociobiology, the primary determinant of behavior is the need to ensure the
continuity of genetic material.
a. True
b. False
17. Sociobiology argues that altruism hinders the continuity of the gene pool and jeopardizes the
survival of genetic material.
a. True
b. False
18. Early biological theories emphasize the role of free will in human behavior.
a. True
b. False
Chapter 4 Fill in the Blank
Fill in the correct answer for each of the following.
1. Early biological theorists focused on physical _________ as significant causes of criminality.
2. Biological theories argue that the basic tenants of criminal behavior are ____________ based.
3. Observed ________ differences in crime rates in Washington, D.C. may be due to biological
differences between the sexes.
4. Early biological theories were important because they determined a person’s personality
stemmed from the ______.
5. Positivism rejects free will and emphasizes social ________.
6. Contemporary biosocial theorists see the interaction between an organism and the _________
as a key determining factor in behavior.
7. The term __________ was coined by Cesare Lombroso to suggest that crime was the result of
primitive urges that survived the evolutionary process.
8. Drug addicts and alcoholics were considered by Lombroso to be __________.
9. The _________ hypothesis explained female criminality.
10. __________ involves classifying individuals according to body type.
11. Family tree researchers such as Henry Goddard and Richard Dugdale worked in the field of
behavioral __________.
12. __________ criminology focuses on the idea that the root causes of criminality are passed
from one generation to the next in the form of “bad genes
13. The concept of __________ in sociobiology is used to explain conflict between humans.
14. Sociobiology was seen as a threat to the dominance of ________ within criminology.
15. A belief in genetic determinism leads to the belief that attempts to __________ offenders will
have little positive effect on recidivism.
Chapter 4 Matching
1. Match the following criminological theories to their matching major concepts.
1. Early Positivism
a. Genetic determism,
2. Constitutional Theories
b. Atavism, born criminals, criminaloids
3. Criminal Anthropology
c. Altruism, tribalism, survival of the gene
pool
4. Sociobiology
d. Phrenology
5. Twin Studies and Heredity
e. Somatotyping, mesomorph, endomorph,
ectomorph
2. Match the following theorists to their theories
1. Franz Joseph Gall
a. Sociobiology
2. Cesare Lombroso
b. Criminal families
3. William H. Sheldon
c. Criminal anthropology
4. Edward O. Wilson
d. Early positivism
5. Sir Francis Galton
e. Constitutional theories
1. *d
3. Match the following criminological theories to their matching time periods.
1. Sociobiology
a. 1790s-1880s
2. Criminal Anthropology
b. 1920s-present
3. Early Positivism
c. 1870s-1940s
4. Twin Studies and Heredity
d. 1975-present
5. Criminal Families
e. 1860s-1930
4. Match the following body types to their descriptions
1. Endomorph
a. Thin and fragile, delicate bones, poorly
muscled extremities
2. Mesomorph
b. Average build without being overweight,
thin, or exceedingly muscular
3. Ectomorph
c. Soft and round, large stomach
4. Balanced type
d. Athletic and muscular, larger bones,
considerable muscle mass
1. *c
5. Match the following sociobiological concepts to their definitions
1. Altruism
a. The attitudes and behaviors that result from
strong feelings of identification with one’s
own social group
2. Gene pool
b. The total genetic information of all the
individuals in a breeding population
3. Territoriality
c. Selfless, helping behavior
4. Tribalism
d. Protectiveness over material possessions
and claimed locations in space
6. Match the criminal anthropologist to his research findings.
1. Cesare Lombroso
a. Criminals show an overall physiological
inferiority to the general population
2. Earnest A. Hooton
b. Minor physical abnormalities are
associated with increased risk of behavior
problems
3. Charles Buckman Goring
c. Criminality is the result of primitive urges
that survived the evolutionary process in
modern human throwbacks
4. L. Arseneault and Richard E. Tremblay
d. The doctrine of atavism is fundamentally
unsound
Chapter 4 Essay
Answer the following questions.
1. Compare and contrast traditional biological and modern biosocial theories. What is the
primary focus of each type? What is the major distinguishing feature between historical and
contemporary biological theories of criminality?
2. List and explain the key fundamental assumptions of biological theories of crime causation.
3. List the six main categories of early biological theories and their key elements.
4. Explain Konrad Lorenz’s view of biological aggression and modern crime.
5. What are the main concerns with early biological theories of criminal behavior?
Chapter 4 Critical Thinking
Answer the following questions.
1. What are some of the major findings of early research into the study of genetics in
criminology? What does this suggest about human behavior in relation to social and physical
environments?
2. What is sociobiology? What criticisms are against it? What contributions has it made to the
field? Provide examples.