GCSE Criminal Psychology Summary

Understanding Criminal Behaviour

Criminal behaviour is basically any act that breaks the law, but it's not as straightforward as you might think. Different types of crimes include violent crimes (physical harm), drug-related offences, acquisitive crimes (stealing), sexual crimes, and antisocial behaviour that distresses others.

Here's the tricky bit - what counts as criminal behaviour is actually a social construct. This means society decides what's acceptable through discussion and agreement. What's considered normal in one culture might be illegal in another, and laws change over time too.

Measuring crime rates is surprisingly complex. We can count crimes reported to police, successful convictions, or use self-report surveys where people anonymously admit to crimes they've committed or experienced. Each method has problems - people might lie due to fear, embarrassment, or not even realising they're victims.

Remember: Crime isn't just about the act itself - intention, damage caused, culture, and timing all matter when defining criminal behaviour.

Social Learning Theory - How We Learn to Be Criminal

Think about how you pick up new behaviours from people around you - social learning theory suggests criminal behaviour works exactly the same way. We learn to break the law by watching others, not because we're born criminals.

The process follows clear steps: we identify with role models (people similar to us or with power), observe their behaviour, then imitate what we've seen. If we get rewarded for this behaviour (directly or by seeing others rewarded), we're likely to repeat it until it becomes part of our personality through internalisation.

Cooper and Mackie's study tested this with 84 children aged 9-11, showing them different video games. Kids who played aggressive games spent longer with aggressive toys afterwards, especially girls. However, boys and girls responded differently, suggesting the theory isn't universal.

The main criticism? If all criminal behaviour is learned, how did the first criminal behaviour ever start? Plus, this theory focuses entirely on nurture whilst ignoring any natural tendencies people might have.

Key insight: Social learning theory explains why crime often runs in families or communities - we copy what we see around us.

Eysenck's Criminal Personality Theory

What if some people are just born more likely to commit crimes? Eysenck's theory suggests criminals share three key personality traits that come from how their brains work differently.

Extraversion means being active and sensation-seeking because extroverts have low brain arousal and need more stimulation. Neuroticism involves being anxious and emotional due to an over-aroused nervous system affecting behaviour. Psychoticism includes aggression and self-centredness caused by excess brain chemicals leading to risky choices.

Unlike social learning theory, Eysenck believed genetics mainly determines criminality, though early childhood experiences can influence it too. This makes it a nature-focused explanation rather than nurture.

However, this theory has major flaws. It assumes all criminals are similar (which seems unlikely), ignores free will by suggesting we can't choose our actions, and doesn't explain why people with these traits actually decide to commit crimes.

Think about it: If personality determines crime, why don't all extroverted, neurotic, or psychotic people become criminals?