Lombroso's notion of the "born criminal" was influenced by the writings of:
A) Sigmund Freud on the unconscious
B) Charles Darwin on human evolution
C) Charles Goring on human genetics
D) Cesare Beccaria on the source of determinism
E) Karl Marx on the permanence of the "dangerous classes"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lombroso was heavily influenced by the theories of Charles Darwin on human evolution, particularly the idea of atavism (the reemergence of ancestral traits in an individual). Lombroso believed that some individuals were "born criminals" due to their physical characteristics, which he believed were throwbacks to primitive and savage ancestors.

Lombroso's Notion of the "Born Criminal" Was Influenced by the Writings