Deck 4: Early Biological Perspectives on Criminal Behavior

Question 1

According to positivism, how is valid knowledge acquired?

A) Observation
B) The exercise of reason
C) Adherence to belief
D) Rational deduction

Answer 1

A

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

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

Question 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

Question 6

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.

Question 7

Studies focusing on inherited mental degeneration led to the development of _________ criminology.

A) classical
B) eugenic
C) radical
D) conflict

Question 8

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

Question 9

Biological theory states that the basic determinants of human behavior are __________ based.

A) constitutionally
B) psychologically
C) economically
D) deviance

Question 10

The studies of the Juke and the Kallikak families emphasized _________ as the primary source of criminality.

A) environment
B) ecology
C) genetics
D) psychology

Question 11

_________ theories explain criminality by reference to offenders' body types, genetics, or external physical characteristics.

A) Psychological
B) Sociobiological
C) Constitutional
D) Somatotyping

Question 12

Biological theories assumes that human behavior is rooted in instinctive behavioral responses such as

A) psychical abuse.
B) territoriality.
C) mental abuse.
D) intellectuality.

Question 13

According to William Sheldon, _______ have the greatest likelihood of becoming criminal offenders.

A) ectomorphs
B) mesomorphs
C) endomorphs
D) balanced types

Question 14

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

Question 15

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

Question 16

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

Question 17

The scientific study of the relationships between human physical characteristics and criminality is called

A) Darwinism.
B) criminal anthropology.
C) biological theory.
D) phrenology.

Question 18

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

Question 19

Santa Claus is typical of which of William Sheldon's body types?

A) Ectomorphs
B) Mesomorphs
C) Endomorphs
D) Balanced type

Question 20

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.

Question 21

Modern research does not support the existence of any link between criminality and physical abnormalities.

Question 22

Contemporary biosocial theorists see the interaction between an individual and his or her environment as the key determining factor in most behavior.

Question 23

Endomorphs are most likely to engage in delinquent or criminal behavior.

Question 24

The field of criminology has been quick to give credence to biological theories of deviant behavior.

Question 25

One concern with early biological theories is their dismissal of the concept of

A) free will.
B) heredity.
C) positivism.
D) genetic determinism.

Question 26

An offender who was identified as a criminaloid by Lombroso would not have atavistic traits.

Question 27

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.

Question 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

Question 29

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

Question 30

Which abnormal chromosomal structure is associated with the concept of a "supermale"?

A) XY
B) XXY
C) XXX
D) XYY

Question 31

Which theoretical paradigm was developed by Edward O. Wilson?

A) Sociobiology
B) Positivism
C) Biosocial criminology
D) Eugenic criminology

Question 32

Biological theories believe some humans may be further along the evolutionary ladder than others.

Question 33

Positivism emphasizes measurement and observation.

Question 34

Positivism is based on a belief in free will.

Question 35

Early biological theorists considered a variety of influences on behavior, such as diet, hormones, and environmental contaminants.

Question 36

Eugenic criminology accepts the idea of genetic determinism.

Question 37

Gall located the roots of the personality in the brain.

Question 38

Sociobiology is the systematic study of the _______ basis of all social behavior.

A) biological
B) psychological
C) sociological
D) economic

Question 39

The creation of street gangs and separatist groups is an example of the sociobiological principle of

A) altruism.
B) tribalism.
C) tokenism.
D) territoriality.

Question 40

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

Question 41

The term __________ was coined by Cesare Lombroso to suggest that crime was the result of primitive urges that survived the evolutionary process.

Question 42

________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

Question 43

Both men and women can exhibit the XYY chromosomal abnormality.

Question 44

Observed ________ differences in crime rates in Washington, D.C. may be due to biological differences between the sexes.

Question 45

The _________ hypothesis explained female criminality.

Question 46

__________ involves classifying individuals according to body type.

Question 47

Positivism rejects free will and emphasizes social ________.

Question 48

Konrad Lorenz's greatest contribution to the study of human behavior is his claim that all human behavior is adapted instinctive behavior.

Question 49

Drug addicts and alcoholics were considered by Lombroso to be __________.

Question 50

Biological theories argue that the basic tenants of criminal behavior are ____________ based.

Question 51

Sociobiology argues that altruism hinders the continuity of the gene pool and jeopardizes the survival of genetic material.

Question 52

Research using twins generally does not show support for the existence of genetic influences on criminality.

Question 53

Early biological theories were important because they determined a person's personality stemmed from the ______.

Question 54

Early biological theorists focused on physical _________ as significant causes of criminality.

Question 55

Contemporary biosocial theorists see the interaction between an organism and the _________ as a key determining factor in behavior.

Question 56

Family tree researchers such as Henry Goddard and Richard Dugdale worked in the field of behavioral __________.

Question 57

According to sociobiology, the primary determinant of behavior is the need to ensure the continuity of genetic material.

Question 58

Konrad Lorenz considered the drive for wealth and power to be more civilized forms of human aggression in modern times

Question 59

Recent research suggests that there is no relationship between the XYY chromosomal pattern and excessive violent behavior.

Question 60

Early biological theories emphasize the role of free will in human behavior.

Question 61

A belief in genetic determinism leads to the belief that attempts to __________ offenders will have little positive effect on recidivism.

Question 62

Sociobiology was seen as a threat to the dominance of ________ within criminology.

Question 63

Explain Konrad Lorenz's view of biological aggression and modern crime.

Question 64

What are the main concerns with early biological theories of criminal behavior?

Question 65

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?

Question 66

List the six main categories of early biological theories and their key elements.

Question 67

List and explain the key fundamental assumptions of biological theories of crime causation.

Question 68

What is sociobiology? What criticisms are against it? What contributions has it made to the field? Provide examples.

Question 69

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?

Question 70

The concept of __________ in sociobiology is used to explain conflict between humans.