Bio explanation - Atavistic form

Question 1

Who is related to the atavistic form?

Answer 1

Lombroso, an Italian physician

Question 2

What did Lombroso suggest about criminals?

Answer 2

He suggested that criminals were ‘genetic throwbacks’ - a primitive subspecies who were biologically different from non-criminals

Question 3

How does Lombroso’s beliefs link to biological explanations?

Answer 3

Lombroso stated that offenders were lacking evolutionary development
He claimed that their savage and untamed nature meant that they would find it impossible to adjust to the demands of civilised society and would inevitably turn to crime
Lombroso saw offending behaviour as a natural tendency, rooted in their genes
He proposed that behaviour was innate and therefore an offender was not to blame for his actions (a revolutionary idea)

Question 4

What is meant by the ‘atavistic form’?

Answer 4

Lombroso’s theory that offenders subtype could be identified as being in possession of particular physiological ‘markers’ that were linked to particular types of offence.
These were biologically defined characteristics (mainly face/ head) that made offenders physically different

Measured people’s height, weight, arm span, size of hands and feet, eye colour

Question 5

Name some examples of atavistic characteristics

Answer 5

Narrow brow
Strong, prominent jaw
High cheekbones
Facial asymmetry
Dark skin
Existence of extra toes, nipples or fingers
Thin lips
Hawk-like nose

Question 6

What was Lombroso’s research?

Answer 6

He examined the facial and cranial features of hundreds of Italian convicts, both living and dead, and concluded there was an ‘atavistic form’

Question 7

What did Lombroso’s research conclude?

Answer 7

40% of criminal acts are committed by people with atavistic characteristics

Question 8

What is a strength of the atavistic form?

Answer 8

It’s contribution to criminology - Lombroso was labelled “the father of modern criminology”
His research shifted away from moralist discourse (the use of language to communicate moral values and beliefs, and to guide behaviour) to scientific discourse (evolution and genes)
Describing types of people and what crimes they may commit - profiling was created
He therefore made a major contribution to the science of criminology

Question 9

Give 2 limitations of the atavistic form

Answer 9

1. Racial undertones
   Many of the features identified by Lombroso are most likely to be found among people of African descent
   This view fitted 19th century eugenic attitudes (the immoral theory of ‘racial improvement’ and ‘planned breeding’)
   This suggests that some aspects of his theory were highly subjective rather than objective, and influenced by the racial prejudices of the time
2. Poor control
   Lombroso didn’t have a control sample, he only looked at criminals
   His research also failed to account for other variables (many of those he studied had a history of psychological disorders which may have acted as confounding variables)
   Therefore, the evidence on which the atavistic form has serious flaws