Criminology Chapter 06 Homework Hormones Have Profound Effect How Individuals Think

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Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

Lecture Notes

Chapter 6: Modern Biosocial Perspectives of Criminal Behavior

Learning Objectives

6.1 Discuss the role of nature and nurture in exploring risk factors for offending.

6.2 Describe the various types of cytogenetic disorders and which type(s) puts a person at highest

risk for criminality.

6.4 Explain how neurotransmitters differ from hormones, and note which of the former are the

most often implicated in criminality at either high or low levels.

6.6 Identify the ways the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system play an

important part in individuals’ decisions to engage in criminal activity.

6.8 Evaluate how modern biosocial perspectives have informed policies to reduce the likelihood

of individuals in becoming criminal offenders.

Chapter Outline

I. Introduction

A. This chapter examines the modern perspectives on the biological aspect of

criminality by exploring modern factors and theories of biosocial positivism in the

current criminological literature.

II. Nature vs. Nurture: Studies Examining the Influence of Genetics and Environment

i. The interaction between these two aspects—genetics and environment—is

what causes crime among individuals and groups in society.

A. Family Studies

Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

i. Family studies were intended to test the proposition that criminality is

more likely to be found in certain families, which would indicate that

crime is inherited.

ii. Goddard claimed that many of the individuals (often children) from the

B. Twin Studies

i. Twin studies were specifically meant to determine, through examination

of identical twin pairs versus fraternal twin pairs, the relative influence of

nature and nurture on criminality.

ii. Identical twins are also known as monozygotic twins because they come

from a single (hence “mono”) egg (or zygote); they are typically referred

to in the scientific literature as MZ (monozygotic) twins.

iii. Fraternal twins are typically referred to as dizygotic twins because they

come from two (hence “di”) separate eggs (or zygotes); they are known in

C. Adoption Studies

i. Adoption studies that examined the predictive influence of the biological

parents of adopted children versus that of the adoptive parents who raised

the children from infancy to adulthood.

D. Twins Separated at Birth

Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

i. Twins separated at birth studies: Studies that examine the similarities

between identical twins who were separated in infancy. The twin pairs

often showed extremely similar tendencies for criminality, sometimes

III. Cytogenetic Studies: The XYY Factor

i. Cytogenetic studies of crime focus on the genetic makeup of individuals,

with a specific focus on abnormalities in their chromosomal makeup.

ii. Males who have XYY are at least 13 times (or 1,300%) as likely to have

behavioral disorders as are those without this chromosomal abnormality.

IV. Hormones and Neurotransmitters: Chemicals That Determine Criminal Behavior

i. Hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen, carry chemical signals to the

body as they are released from certain glands and structures.

ii. Hormonal changes in females can cause criminal behavior.

vi. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most commonly linked to feeling good.

For example, dopamine is the chemical that tells us when we are

experiencing good sensations, such as delicious food, sex, and other

pleasurable activities.

Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

vii. Serotonin is important in virtually all information processing, whether it be

learning, emotional processing, and the like; thus, it is vital in most aspects

V. Brain Injuries

i. The brain is responsible for virtually every criminal act an individual

commit, so any problems related to this structure have profound

implications regarding behavior, especially deviance and criminal activity.

ii. Trauma to certain portions of the brain tends to have more serious

VI. Central vs. Autonomic Nervous System Activity

i. The central nervous system (CNS) consists mostly of the brain and spinal

column, which are largely responsible for what we as individuals choose to

do, meaning our voluntary activities.

ii. The brain wave patterns of chronic offenders are abnormal compared with

the normal population.

iii. There are four types of brain wave patterns found in individuals. From

slowest to fastest, they are delta, theta, alpha, and beta.

a. Delta waves are often seen when people sleep.

iv. Polygraph measures capitalize on the inability of individuals to control

these physiological responses to anxiety, which occur in most normal

persons when they lie, especially regarding illegal behavior.

v. Autonomic nervous system is the portion of the nervous system that

Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

vii. Children who are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

(ADHD) have a higher likelihood of becoming criminal than do their peers.

VII. Biosocial Approaches to Explaining Criminal Behavior

i. Genotype provides a certain range or “window” that determines the height

of an individual, which is based on ancestral factors.

ii. Phenotype, which addresses the factors that are a manifestation of genetics

A. Behavioral Genetics Studies

i. These studies estimate heritability based on percentages derived from the

variance of scores among identical versus fraternal twin pairs on a variety

of characteristics and behaviors.

ii. The meta-analyses of the 80-plus studies of behavioral genetics regarding

criminality or antisocial behaviors consistently show that

B. Diet/Nutrition

i. Dietary deficiencies in iron, zinc, protein, riboflavin, and omega-3 are

significantly related to criminality.

ii. Various food additives and dyes, such as those commonly found in

processed foods, can also have a significant effect on criminal behavior.

C. Toxins

i. High levels of certain toxins, particularly lead, cadmium, and manganese,

can have a profound effect on behavior, including criminality.

VIII. Policy Implications

Schram, Introduction to Criminology 3e

SAGE Publishing, 2021

i. One policy implication in particular—maternal/infant health care at all