Psychological Explanations of Criminality

OCR

GCSE

This study area evaluates psychological constructs explaining criminal behaviour, distinct from biological or sociological explanations. Candidates must assess Eysenck’s Theory of the Criminal Personality, Cognitive Explanations (Levels of Moral Reasoning, Cognitive Distortions), Differential Association Theory, and Psychodynamic Explanations. Mastery requires navigating the tension between dispositional factors (personality, superego) and situational learning (differential association), while critically applying Issues and Debates such as biological determinism versus environmental determinism and the implications for offender rehabilitation.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Learning Objectives

What you need to know and understand

Eysenck's PEN Model: Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism
Biological mechanism: Under-active Reticular Activating System (RAS) in extraverts
Social Learning Theory stages: Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation
Key Study: Heaven (1996) Study of delinquency, self-esteem and psychoticism
Heaven's Finding: Psychoticism was the strongest predictor of delinquency over time

Example Examiner Feedback

Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

"You have defined Extraversion correctly, but you must explain *why* this leads to criminal behaviour (e.g., sensation seeking due to under-arousal)"
"Your application of SLT is accurate, but you need to explicitly mention 'Vicarious Reinforcement' when the model is rewarded"
"When using Heaven (1996), specify that it was a longitudinal study to gain credit for methodological knowledge"
"Your evaluation is one-sided; acknowledge the limitations of self-report data when discussing personality testing"

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award marks for accurate definition of Eysenck’s dimensions: Psychoticism (aggressive/egocentric), Extraversion (sensation seeking), and Neuroticism (anxious/unpredictable)
Credit the explicit link between the Reticular Activating System (RAS) and the need for stimulation in high Extraverts
Candidates must explain the mechanism of Vicarious Reinforcement in SLT, specifically observing a role model being rewarded for criminal behaviour
Evaluation must cite specific evidence, such as Heaven (1996) supporting the link between Psychoticism and delinquency while noting the weak correlation for Extraversion

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡When evaluating Eysenck, contrast the biological determinism with the potential for rehabilitation found in social theories
💡In 9-mark questions, ensure the conclusion directly answers the specific command (e.g., 'to what extent') rather than summarizing the essay
💡Use the 'Identify, Explain, Apply' structure for scenario-based questions to ensure AO2 marks are secured
💡Memorize the specific sample size and longitudinal duration of Heaven (1996) to add weight to AO1 descriptions

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing the direction of correlation (e.g., stating introverts are more likely to commit crime due to under-arousal)
Describing Social Learning Theory as merely 'copying' without reference to cognitive processes (attention, retention, motivation)
Failing to distinguish between the findings of Heaven (1996) regarding males vs. females
Conflating 'Psychoticism' with being 'psychotic' in a clinical mental health sense rather than a personality trait

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Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Identify

Describe

Explain

Discuss

Evaluate

Calculate

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