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Practice Exams

Module 9.5: Biological & Psychological Theories

I. Biological Theories of Crime

Biological theories are based on the idea that criminal behavior is caused by some physical or biological factor that is internal to the individual.

A. Early Biological Theories (The Italian School)

  • Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909): The "Father of Modern Criminology."
    • Theory of Atavism: Lombroso argued that criminals were "atavistic"—biological throwbacks to a more primitive stage of human evolution. He believed that these "born criminals" could be identified by certain physical stigmata (physical anomalies).
    • Stigmata: These included things like a large jaw, a sloping forehead, long arms, and an insensitivity to pain.
    • Legacy: While Lombroso's specific theory of atavism has been thoroughly discredited, his work was revolutionary because it was the first major attempt to apply the scientific method to the study of the criminal, marking the beginning of the Positivist School.

Si Lombroso ang "Father of Modern Criminology." Naniniwala siya na may mga taong IPINANGANAK na criminal - makikita daw sa physical features nila tulad ng malaking panga, sloping forehead, makapal na kilay, at mahahabang braso. Parang "caveman" daw ang itsura. Syempre, OUTDATED na ito ngayon - hindi naman dahil pangit ka o may malaking panga ay criminal ka na! Pero importante pa rin si Lombroso kasi siya ang nagsimula ng scientific approach sa pag-aaral ng kriminal. Para sa board exam, tandaan: Lombroso = Father of Criminology = Born Criminal Theory = Atavism.

B. Modern Biological Theories (Biosocial Criminology)

Modern biological theories are much more sophisticated. They do not argue that biology is a "destiny," but rather that certain biological factors can predispose an individual to criminal behavior, especially when combined with certain social or environmental factors.

  1. Genetics:
    • Twin Studies: Studies have shown that identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) have a much higher concordance rate for criminal behavior than fraternal twins (who share only 50% of their genes). This suggests a genetic component.
    • Adoption Studies: Studies have found that adopted children whose biological parents were criminals are more likely to become criminals themselves, even if their adoptive parents are law-abiding. This further supports a genetic link.

Kung magkambal ang mga magnanakaw, malamang pareho silang magnanakaw? MAY POINT yan based sa studies! Identical twins (same DNA 100%) mas mataas ang chance na pareho silang magiging kriminal compared sa fraternal twins (50% same DNA lang). Pero hindi ibig sabihin "tadhana" mo na maging kriminal kung kriminal ang magulang mo - ang genes ay nagbibigay lang ng TENDENCY o predisposition, hindi guarantee. Parang sa diabetes lang yan - may genes ka na prone ka, pero kung healthy lifestyle mo, baka hindi ka pa magka-diabetes.

  1. Neurocriminology (The Brain):
    • This field studies the relationship between brain structure and function and criminal behavior.
    • Prefrontal Cortex: Research has shown that many violent offenders have damage or reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for executive functions like self-control, planning, and regulating emotions.
    • Neurotransmitters: Imbalances in brain chemicals like serotonin (which affects mood and impulse control) and dopamine (related to reward-seeking behavior) have been linked to aggression and violence.

Ang prefrontal cortex ay parang "brake" ng utak mo. Ito ang bahagi na tumutulong sa'yo na mag-isip bago kumilos, mag-plano, at kontrolin ang emosyon mo. Pag may damage o problema dito, parang walang preno ang tao - impulsive, aggressive, walang self-control. Yung mga neurotransmitters naman (serotonin, dopamine) ay parang "chemical messengers" ng utak. Pag imbalanced yan, pwedeng maging aggressive ka o mahilig sa risk-taking behavior. Kaya maraming violent criminals, may problema sa prefrontal cortex nila based sa brain scans.

  1. Hormones:
    • High levels of the male hormone testosterone have been linked to increased aggression and dominance-seeking behavior.

Yung testosterone (male hormone) ay kaya maraming lalaki ang mas aggressive at competitive. High testosterone = mas matapang, mas aggressive, gusto palaging mang-aapi. Pero HINDI excuse yan para maging kriminal! Maraming lalaki na mataas ang testosterone pero hindi naman kriminal. Ang point lang, hormones can INFLUENCE behavior, pero hindi mo pwedeng sabihin na "mataas testosterone ko kaya holdaper ako" - wag ganun!

Conclusion

Biological and psychological theories provide a crucial micro-level perspective on crime, focusing on the characteristics of the individual offender. While early theories like Lombroso's have been discredited, modern biosocial criminology uses advanced technology to show that genetics, brain structure, and brain chemistry can indeed create predispositions for criminal behavior. Similarly, psychological theories show how personality, developmental experiences, and learned behaviors can shape a person's path toward or away from crime. These theories remind us that while social conditions are important, the ultimate decision to commit a crime is made by an individual, and the factors that influence that decision are often deeply rooted in their biology and psychology.

Introduction

While the Classical School focused on crime as a rational choice, the Positivist School shifted the focus to the criminal offender themselves. This led to the development of theories that sought to explain crime by looking at the individual characteristics of the offender. These theories can be broadly divided into two categories: Biological Theories, which look for causes in a person's physical or genetic makeup, and Psychological Theories, which look for causes in a person's personality, mind, and experiences. This module will explore some of the most influential biological and psychological theories of crime.

Key Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the core ideas of early biological theories, including Lombroso's concept of the "atavistic man."
  • Understand modern biological approaches to crime, such as genetics and neurocriminology.
  • Explain the basic principles of Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory of crime.
  • Describe how Behavioral and Cognitive learning theories explain the acquisition of criminal behavior.
  • Understand the concept of the "psychopathic personality."

II. Psychological Theories of Crime

Psychological theories look for the causes of crime within the individual's mind, personality, and learning processes.

A. Psychoanalytic Theory (Sigmund Freud)

  • Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): The founder of psychoanalysis. While not a criminologist, his theories were influential.
  • The Structure of Personality: Freud proposed that the personality consists of three parts:
    1. The Id: The primitive, instinctual part of the personality that operates on the "pleasure principle," seeking immediate gratification of its desires (sex, aggression). It is the "devil on your shoulder."
    2. The Superego: The moral part of the personality (the conscience) that internalizes the rules and values of society. It is the "angel on your shoulder."
    3. The Ego: The rational part of the personality that operates on the "reality principle." It tries to mediate between the demands of the Id and the constraints of the Superego.
  • Criminality as a Weak Superego: From a Freudian perspective, crime is the result of a weak or underdeveloped superego. An individual with a weak conscience is unable to control the primitive, antisocial impulses of the Id, leading them to commit crimes. This weak superego is often the result of poor parenting or a lack of proper socialization in early childhood.

Sabi ni Freud, ang personality mo ay may 3 bahagi: (1) ID - ito yung wild side mo, yung "gusto ko 'yan, kukunin ko ngayon!" Walang konsensya, puro lust at aggression. Parang baby na umiiyak kapag gusto ng gatas ASAP. (2) SUPEREGO - ito naman yung konsensya mo, yung boses ng nanay mo sa ulo mo na nagsasabing "mali yan, huwag mong gawin!" (3) EGO - ito yung mature, rational part mo na nag-dedesisyon kung paano mo babalansahin yung dalawa. Pag criminal ka raw, ibig sabihin MAHINA ang Superego mo - walang konsensya kaya hindi mo ma-control yung wild impulses ng Id mo. Kaya nga importante ang magandang pagpapalaki ng magulang para lumakas ang Superego!

Board Exam Tip: Freud = Id (pleasure principle) + Superego (conscience) + Ego (reality principle). Weak Superego = Criminal.

B. Behavioral Theories (Learning Theories)

Behavioral theories argue that criminal behavior is learned, not innate.

  1. Behaviorism (B.F. Skinner):

    • Argues that all behavior is shaped by its consequences: reinforcement and punishment.
    • Behavior that is reinforced (rewarded) is more likely to be repeated. Behavior that is punished is less likely to be repeated.
    • Criminal Behavior: A person commits a crime because they have learned that it leads to a reward (e.g., money, status) and that the punishments are either unlikely or not severe enough to matter.

  2. Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura):

    • Bandura argued that behavior can also be learned through observation and modeling.
    • People, especially children, learn aggressive and criminal behavior by watching others, either in person (e.g., an abusive parent) or through the media (e.g., violent movies and video games).
    • Bobo Doll Experiment: Bandura's famous experiment showed that children who watched an adult aggressively beat up a "Bobo doll" were much more likely to imitate that aggressive behavior themselves.

Ito yung "Monkey see, monkey do" theory ni Bandura. Kung ang nakikita mong tao sa paligid mo (especially nung bata ka pa) ay gumagawa ng krimen at nakakatakas, malamang gagayahin mo sila. Kung puro holdaper ang tropa mo, malamang holdaper ka rin eventually. Kung violent ang tatay mo sa bahay, pwedeng maging violent ka rin. Kaya importante ang ROLE MODEL - kung sino ang mga idol mo at sino ang kasama mo, malaking impluwensya yan sa behavior mo. Yung Bobo Doll Experiment ay classic na experiment - pina-observe nila yung mga bata na may adult na binubugbog yung doll, tapos nilagay nila yung bata sa room with the doll. Ano ginawa ng bata? BINUGBOG din yung doll! Proof na natututo tayo through observation.

C. Cognitive Theories

Cognitive theories focus on how people's thoughts, beliefs, and moral reasoning affect their behavior.

  • Cognitive Development Theory (Lawrence Kohlberg): Kohlberg argued that people progress through different stages of moral development. Many criminals, he suggested, are stuck at a low level of moral reasoning, where they only consider the immediate selfish consequences of their actions and are unable to appreciate concepts like justice or the rights of others.

D. Personality and Crime (The Psychopath)

  • This approach looks for the cause of crime in a specific personality type or disorder.
  • The Psychopath (or Sociopath): The most studied personality type in criminology. Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a collection of traits:
    • Lack of Empathy and Guilt: The inability to feel for others or to feel remorse for their actions.
    • Egocentricity: A grandiose sense of self-worth.
    • Impulsivity and Poor Self-Control.
    • Superficial Charm and Manipulativeness.
  • Not all psychopaths are criminals, but they are disproportionately represented among chronic and violent offenders because they lack the internal emotional controls that prevent most people from harming others.

Ang PSYCHOPATH o SOCIOPATH ay yung tao na WALANG KONSENSYA. Kahit anong sama ng ginawa niya, walang guilt, walang remorse. Pwede kang patayin tapos kakain lang siya ng breakfast na parang walang nangyari. Characteristics ng psychopath: (1) Walang empathy - hindi nararamdaman yung suffering ng iba. (2) Manipulative - magaling mag-sinungaling at mag-charm para makuha yung gusto. (3) Impulsive - walang self-control. (4) Grandiose - feeling superior, feeling nila special sila. Hindi lahat ng psychopath ay kriminal (may mga CEO at politicians na psychopath pero hindi naman lumalabag sa batas), pero KARAMIHAN ng serial killers at violent criminals ay may psychopathic traits. Para sa board exam, tandaan: Psychopath = No empathy, no guilt, manipulative, impulsive.

Board Exam Tip: Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) sa DSM-5 = Clinical term for Psychopathy/Sociopathy.