Chapter 2 Biological and Psychological Theories

CHAPTER 2 BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES Learning Objectives: At the end of this chapter, the learners are expected to be able to: 1.E xplore how biological factors, such as genetics, neurobiology, and physiology, influence behavior and mental processes. 2.I nvestigate psychological theories that elucidate how thoughts, emotions, and motivations shape human actions and interactions. 3.G rasp the complex interplay between genetic predispositions and environmental influences in determining behavior and mental health outcomes. 4.U nderstand how these theories are used in fields like clinical psychology, medicine, education, and social sciences to address and solve real-world problems. 5.D evelop the ability to critically assess and compare various biological and psychological theories, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and practical implications. 6.E xplore ethical implications in applying these theories, especially in healthcare, research, and societal contexts, considering issues related to consent, privacy, and interventions. Introduction: Biological and psychological theories form the backbone of understanding human behavior and cognition. These theories delve into the intricate connections between our biology, brain functions, and mental processes. While biological theories explore the role of genetics, neuroscience, and bodily functions in shaping behavior, psychological theories focus on thoughts, emotions, and social interactions. Together, they offer comprehensive perspectives on what makes us who we are, illuminating the fascinating interplay between our biology and the workings of the mind. A. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES - - This pertains to a collection of theories that attribute the perpetration of crimes by certain individuals to physical, physiological, and other natural factors. This explanation for the presence of criminal characteristics links an individual's malevolent inclination to physical deformity or impairment. Heredity - refers to the process through which qualities are passed down from parents to their children. Richard Louis Dugdale - undertook an extensive investigation into the Jukes family, tracing their genealogy as far back as two centuries. It was shown that a significant majority of the progenitors of the Jukes lineage exhibited criminal tendencies. Henry Goddard - conducted a study in which he examined the lineage of Martin Kallikak's offspring from both of his wives. Through his investigation, Goddard saw a notable disparity in the overall quality of life among the descendants. The individual in question is credited with the origination of the term "moron." Charles Goring - was a prominent figure in the field of criminology during the early 20th century. The author posited the notion that hereditary factors play a role in the transmission of criminal behaviors from parents to their offspring. Additionally, the author suggested that persons exhibiting criminal characteristics should be subject to restrictions on their reproductive capabilities. INTELLIGENCE AS A FACTOR IN CRIMINALITY The seminal investigations conducted on the Juke and Kallikak lineages were pioneering research that demonstrated the hereditary transmission and perpetuation of feeblemindedness or low IQ through several generations. Several tests were also undertaken, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the utilization of IQ tests as a method of assessment for those involved in criminal activities. The first findings appeared to support the notion that individuals who engaged in criminal behavior exhibited diminished cognitive capacities and were diagnosed with cognitive impairments. Alfred Binet a renowned French psychologist, is credited with the creation of the initial intelligence quotient (IQ) test. This exam was designed to assess the cognitive abilities of individual children by comparing their performance on activities and problem-solving with the average abilities of their classmates. - Physiognomy - refers to the scholarly investigation of face traits and their correlation with human behavior. Giambattista della Porta, - the progenitor of human physiognomy, posited that the facial characteristics of an individual might be utilized to forecast criminal conduct. Phrenology, cranioscopy - Johann Kaspar Lavater craniology, - espoused delaPorta, individual's discerned features. the idea of positing that an character can be by their face or Franz Joseph Gall refers to the scholarly examination of the exterior - is credited with the development of cranioscopy, a field that was afterwards configuration of the cranium known as phrenology. in correlation with an individual's psychological Johann Kaspar Spurzheim traits and proclivities towards - served as an assistant to engaging in criminal Franz Joseph Gall in the field activities. of phrenology. He played a significant role in the dissemination and popularization of phrenology across a broad spectrum of individuals. Physiology or Somatotype refers to the study of the body build of a person in relation to his temperament and personality and the type of offense he is most prone to commit. Ernst Kretschmer asthenic– characterized small and weak. William Herbert Sheldon as thin, ectomorph – tall and thin and less social and more intellectual than the other types. athletic – muscular and strong. mesomorph– have well-developed muscles and an athletic appearance. pyknic – stout, round and fat. endomorph – heavy builds and slow moving. dysplastic – combination of two body types Ernst Kretschmer (1888-1964) Body Physique Description Psychiatric Disorders Asthenic lean, slightly built, narrow shoulders Schizophrenia Athletic medium to tall, coarse bones Schizophrenia Pyknic strong, muscular, medium height, rounded massive neck and broad face figure, Bipolar (Manic Depression) B. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES ● refers to the theories that attribute criminal behavior of individuals to psychological factors, such as emotion and mental problems. Sigmund Freud ● he is recognized as the FATHER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS ● known for his psychoanalytic theory ● According to him, criminality is caused by the imbalance of the three (3) components of personality: the id, the ego, and the superego. THREE PARTS OF PERSONALITY ID – this stands for instinctual drives; it is governed by the “pleasure principle”; the id impulses are not social and must be repressed or adapted so that they may become socially acceptable EGO – this is considered to be the sensible and responsible part of an individual’s personality and is governed by the “reality principle” SUPEREGO – serves as the moral conscience of an individual; it is structured by what values were taught by the parents, the school and the community, as well as belief in God. Sigmund Freud's conceptualization of the human mind encompasses three distinct levels. The human mind consciousness. is believed to include three distinct degrees of Figure 1 unknown author https://ph.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images. The three components under consideration are the conscious mind, which accounts for around 10% of mental activity, the subconscious mind, which encompasses 50-60% of mental activity, and the unconscious mind, which represents 3040% of mental activity. Freud explicated the structure of the mind into several levels, each with unique responsibilities and purposes. The three tiers of cognitive functioning encompass: 1. The conscious mind encompasses the array of ideas, memories, emotions, and desires that individuals are now cognizant of. This pertains to the cognitive processes within our mind that can be subject to logical thought and verbal expression. In addition, our memories, although not always inside the realm of consciousness, may be readily accessed and brought into awareness. 2. The subconscious encompasses all elements that have the capacity to be accessed by the conscious mind. 3. The unconscious mind can be seen as a reservoir containing a multitude of emotions, cognitions, impulses, and recollections that lie outside the realm of our conscious consciousness. The unconscious mind includes elements that are deemed unwanted or unpleasant, such as experiences of distress, apprehension, or discord Psychology – the science of behavior and mental processes of the criminal. It is focused on the individual criminal behavior-how it is acquired, evoked, maintained and modified. Both the environmental and personality influences are considered, along with the mental processes that mediate the behavior. Criminal Psycho-Dynamics – The study of mental processes of criminals in action, the study of the genesis, development and motivation of human behavior that conflicts with accepted norms and standards of society. This study concentrates on the study of individuals as opposed to general studies of mass populations with respect to their general criminal behavior. Common Types of Insanity a. Dementia Praecox - A collective term for mental disorders that begin at or shortly after puberty and usually lead to general failure of the mental faculties with the corresponding physiological impairment. Also known as Schizophrenia. b. Manic Depressive - (characterized by mania and mental depression) c. Paralysis - condition of helpless inactivity or of inability to act. d. Senile – mental deterioration often accompanying old age (Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease). Alienist – This term is applied to a specialist in the study of mental disorders. Hallucination – An apparent or false perception without any corresponding external object, especially in psychiatry, any of the numerous sensations, auditory, visual or tactile experienced without external stimulus and caused by mental derangement, intoxication or fever hence, may be a sign of approaching insanity. Delusion – A false belief; an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument; typically, a symptom of mental disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) - A psychological disorder in which a child shows developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of attention. Classes of Mental Deficiency 1. Idiots – person whose case there exist mental defectiveness of such a degree that they are unable to guard themselves against common physical dangers. Their mentality is compared to a two years old person. 2. Imbeciles – persons in whose case there exist mental defectiveness which thought not amounting to idiocy, is yet so pronounced that they are incapable of managing themselves or their affairs. Their mentality is like a child of 2 to 7 years old. 3. Feeble-Minded Persons – those in whose case there exist mental defectiveness which thought not amounting to imbecility, is yet so pronounced that they require care, supervision and control for their own or for the protection of others, or in the case of children, they appear to be permanently incapable by reason of such defectiveness or receiving proper benefit from the intrusion in ordinary schools. 4. Moral Defectiveness – person wherein defect exists coupled with strong vicious or criminal propensities, and who require care and supervision, and control for their own or for the protection of others. Intelligence as a Factor in Criminality The classic studies of the Juke and Kallikak families were among the first to show that feeblemindedness or low-intelligence can be inherited and transferred from one generation to the next. Numerous tests were also conducted that lead to the development of the use of IQ tests as a testing procedure for offenders. The very first results seemed to confirm that offenders had low mental abilities and they were found to be mentally impaired. Alfred Binet – a French psychologist who developed the first IQ test. - The test measured the capacity of individual children to perform tasks or solve problems in relation to the average capacity of their peers. Albert Adler (1870- 1937) = founder of individual psychology and coined the term “inferiority complex”; people who have feelings of inferiority as children and spend the rest of their lives trying to compensate for those feelings. Erik Erikson (1902-1984) = described the so called “identity crisis”; a psychological state in which youth face inner turmoil and uncertainty about life roles. August Aichhorn - is considered to be one of the founders of psychoanalytic education. He is remembered for his work with juvenile delinquent and disadvantaged youth. He believed that imposed discipline and suppression which were reformatories yielded few positive results. practiced in traditional Sigmund Freud - He is recognized as the FATHER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS. - He is known for his psychoanalytic theory. - According to him, criminality is caused by the imbalance of the three (3) components of personality: the id, the ego, and the superego. - According to him there are three parts of personality: 1. Id – this stands for instinctual drives. It is governed by the “pleasure principle”. The id impulses are not social and must be repressed or adapted so that they may become socially acceptable. 2. Ego – this is considered to be the sensible and responsible part of an individual’s personality and is governed by the “reality principle”. It is developed early in life and compensate for the demands of the id by helping the individual guide his actions to remain within the boundaries of accepted social behavior; it is the objective, rational part of the personality. 3. Superego – serves as the moral conscience of an individual. It is structured by what values were taught by the parents, the school and the community as well as belief in God. It is largely responsible for making a person follow the moral codes of society. Psychosexual Stages of Human Development Eros – The most basic human drive present at birth (the instinct to preserve and create life); expressed sexually. Oral Stage – Usually during the first year of life when the child attains pleasure by sucking and biting (Birth to 1st year). Anal Stage – Focus on the elimination of bodily wastes during the second and third years of life (1 to 3 years old). Phallic Stage – During the third year when child focuses their attention on their genitals (3rd to 6th year). Oedipus Complex – A stage of development when male begins to have sexual feelings for their mother. Electra Complex – A stage of development when girls begin to have sexual feelings for their fathers. Latency - Begins at age 6; feelings of sexuality are expressed until the genital stage begins at puberty. This marks the beginning of adult sexuality (6th year to puberty). Genital - This is the last stage of Freud's psychosexual theory of personality development and begins in puberty. It is a time of adolescent sexual experimentation, the successful resolution of which is settling down in a loving one-to-one relationship with another person in our 20's. Sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual pleasure, rather than self-pleasure like during the phallic stage (Puberty to Adulthood). Fixated Person – It exhibits behavior traits characteristics of those encountered during infantile sexual development e.g., an infant who does not receive enough oral gratification during the first year of life if likely as an adult engage in such oral behavior as smoking, drinking, or drug abuse and others. Psychopathy Or Anti-Social Personality  Personality that is characterized by an inability to learn from experience, lack of warmth and no sense of guilt.  Referred to as “manie sans delire” or madness without confusion by the French physician Philippe Pinel  Called as “moral insanity” by James Prichard  Referred to “irresistible atavistic impulses” by Gina LombrosoFerrero Psychopaths (Sociologists call them “sociopaths”) 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. Characterized by no sense of guilt; No subjective conscience; No sense of right and wrong; They have difficulty in forming relationships with other people; They cannot relate to other people. Isaac Ray (1807-1881) - Questioned whether people who were morally insane could be held legally responsible for their acts. Cyril Burt - gave the theory of general emotionality. An excess of the submissive instinct account for tendency of many criminals to be weak- willed or easily led. Fear and absconding may be due to the impulse of fear.