Criminology: The Core Chapter 5 Terms

Front 1

Trait Theory

Back 1

The View that criminality is a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits

Front 2

Sociobiology

Back 2

The view that human behavior is motivated by inborn biological urges to survive and preserve the species.

Front 3

Individual vulnerability model

Back 3

Assumes there is a direct link between traits and crime; some people are vulnerable to crime from birth

Front 4

Differential susceptibility model

Back 4

The belief that there is an indirect association between traits and crime

Front 5

Hyperglycemia

Back 5

A condition that occurs when glucose in the blood falls below levels necessary for normal and efficient brain functioning.

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aNDROGENS

Back 6

Male sex hormones

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Testosterone

Back 7

The principal male hormone

Front 8

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

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Condition, postulated by some theorists wherein several days before and during menstruation excessive amounts of female sex hormones stimulate antisocial, aggressive behavior

Front 9

Neuropsychology

Back 9

The study of brain activity

Front 10

Conduct disorder (CD)

Back 10

A pattern of repetitive behavior in which the rights of others or social norms are violated

Front 11

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Back 11

A developmentally inappropriate lack of attention along with impassivity and hyperactivity

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Neurotransmitters

Back 12

Chemical compounds that influence or activate brain functions

Front 13

Arousal Theory

Back 13

The view that people seek to maintain a proffered level of arousal but vary in how they process sensory input, A need for high levels of environmental stimulation may lead to aggressive violent behavior patterns.

Front 14

Psychodynamic Theory

Back 14

Frued. Human personality is controlled by unconscious mental processes that develop early in childhood and involve the interaction of id, ego and superego.

Front 15

Attachment theory

Back 15

Bowlby's theory that being able to form an emotional bonds to another person is an important aspect of mental health throughout the life span.

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Behavioral theory

Back 16

The view that all human behavior is learned through a process of social reinforcement rewards and punishment

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Social learning theory

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The view that human behavior is modeled through observation of human social interactions either directly from observing those who are close and from intimate contact, or indirect though the media. Interactions that are rewarded are copied while those that punished are avoided.

Front 18

Behavior modeling

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the process of learning behavior by observing others. aggressive models may be parents criminals in the neighborhood or characters on television or movies.

Front 19

Cognitive theory

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Psychological perspective that focuses on the mental processes by which people perceive and represent the world around them and solve problems.

Front 20

Information-processing theory

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Theory that focuses on how people process, store, encode, retrieve, and manipulate information to make decisions and solve problems

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Personality

Back 21

The reasonably stable patterns of behavior including thoughts and emotions that distinguish one person from another

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Antisocial personality

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Combination of traits such as hyperactivity, impassivity, hedonism, and inability to empathize with others that make a person prone to deviant behavior and violence also referred to as sociopath of psychopathic personality.

Front 23

Nature Theory

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The view that intelligence is largely determined genetically and that low intelligence is linked to criminal behavior

Front 24

Nurture Theory

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The view that intelligence is not inherited but is largely a product of environment. Low IQ scores do not cause crime but may result from the same environmental factors.

Front 25

Mood DIsorder

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A condition in which the prevaling emotional mood is distorted or inappropriate to the circumstances.

Front 26

ODD

Back 26

A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior during which a child often loses her or his temper often argues with adults and often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults requests or rules.

Front 27

Schizophrenia

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A severe disorder marked by hearing nonexistent voices seeing hallucinations and exhibiting inappropriate responses.

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Bipolar disorder

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An emotional disturbanc ein which moods alternate between periods of wild elation and deep depression.

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Primary prevention programs

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Programs such as substance abuse clinics and mental health associations, that seeks to treat personal problems before they manifest themselves as crime

Front 30

Secondsay prevention programs

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Programs that provide treatment such as psychological counseling to youth and adults after they have violated the law.