Deck 4: The Biological Basis of Criminal Behavior

Question 1

A major difficulty in drawing conclusions from twin studies is that

A) monozygotic twins are overrepresented
B) it is impossible to distinguish MZ and DZ twins
C) criminal behavior is exceedingly rare in twins
D) most of the twins in these studies are adopted
E)most twins are raised together

Answer 1

most twins are raised together

Question 2

The highest rate of criminal behavior among adoptees may be found when

A) the adoptive father was a criminal and the biological father has no criminal record
B)both adoptive and biological fathers are criminals
C) the biological father has a record but not the adoptive father
D) the biological mother and adoptive father are criminals
E) the biological mother has a criminal record

Answer 2

both adoptive and biological fathers are criminals

Question 3

Genetic studies of criminal behavior suggest that

A)heredity operates by way of mediating variables
B) there is a 1:1 relationship between heredity and criminal behavior
C) there is no role for heredity
D) genetic factors are important in violent behavior
E) sexual offenses are genetically based

Answer 3

heredity operates by way of mediating variables

Question 4

Regarding the XYY hypothesis, the following is "false":

A) XYY males are about 1 percent of the general population
B) the extra Y chromosome may slow EEG rhythms
C) XYY males tend to have lower IQ scores
D)XYY males are likely to have violent histories
E) XYY males are no more likely to have a criminal record than XXY individuals

Question 5

According to the research referenced in the text, neurophysiological under arousal may increase the risk of crime because of

A) stimulus seeking
B) emotional liability
C) poor conditioning to punishing stimuli
D) fear deficit
E)all of the above

Question 6

Delayed frontal lobe development may be associated with:

A) life-course-persistent delinquency
B)adolescence-limited delinquency
C) violent crime
D) property crime
E) sexual offending

Question 7

Life-course-persistent and violent offenders may have

A)neurophysiological under arousal
B) a slow-to-warm temperament
C) a damaged amygdala
D) a short circuit in the limbic system
E) an extra Y chromosome

Question 8

Temperament refers to a

A)personality style of responding to the environment
B) "difficult" personality
C) hot-headed person
D) troubled family background
E) biological deficit

Question 9

Lombroso's theory of atavism suggests that

A) criminal behavior is an adaptive behavior designed to increase mating
B)the atavistic criminal is untreatable
C) most criminals are endomorphic
D) both a and c
E) none of the above

Question 10

Some evolutionary theorists view criminal behavior as adaptive. These criminals may be called

A) atavistic criminals
B) intelligent, white-collar criminals
C)psychopaths
D) neurotic offenders
E) losers