Thread by @michelle_furlow

Good morning, join me at 10:30am, cst to introduce Biological and Psychological Trait theory. Buckle in my friends, we have a lot of work to do! What chemical has the biggest impact on your life?

#CRJ105 #Criminology #TraitTheories

Good morning friends, I am here in A109 for in person office hours and our live Twitter discussion this morning

#CRJ105

let's start to deep dive into the Nature v. Nurture debate by examining #BiologicalTraits influencing our behavior

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We spent Week 03 introducing the Classical School (Rational Choice Theory) and then Week 04 the Positivist School (scientific study for the betterment of human behavior).

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If you recall from last week, the Positive School introduced that human beings differ

~ Biologically
~ Psychologically
~ Sociologically

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In the United States, explanations of criminal behavior have been dominated by sociological theories.

Today we are going to explore the biological make-up of the human body

#CRJ105 #MoraineValley #BiologicalTraitTheory

Criminals might not be "born" to be bad, but the criminal disposition may be present at birth.

THINKING CHALLENGE: Which of the following is most associated with criminal behavior?

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Biological & Psychological theories look at the differences within an individual offender

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Today we will focus on Biology, then we will lay down on a couch & talk about our mothers next week to highlight Psychology

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Biological Traits do NOT suggest that one single biological attribute explains ALL criminality

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Each offender is considered physically & mentally unique, consequently, there must be different explanations for each person’s behavior.

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Criminologists who focus on the individual see many explanations for crime.

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Of the Biological Explanations, which seems to peak YOUR interest?

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Geneticists, for example, have argued that the predisposition to act violently or aggressively in certain situations may be inherited.

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Is it possible that the propensity to be or become violent is present at birth?

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Bio-criminology is the study of the physical aspects of psychological disorder:
~biochemical abnormalities,
~abnormal brain waves,
~nervous system dysfunction

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Can You Sit Through These Close Calls and **NOT** React?



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After watching the previous video, did you ...

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So what do you think might be the connection between such a video & #BiologicalTraitTheory?

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Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch this iconic clip with little / no reaction?



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Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch these iconic movie clips with little / no reaction?



#CRJ105 #MoraineValley

Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch these iconic clips with little / no reaction?



#CRJ105 #MoraineValley

Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch these iconic movie clips with little / no reaction?



#CRJ105 #MoraineValley

Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch these iconic movie clips with little / no reaction?



#CRJ105 #MoraineValley

Now I have a REAL test for you. Can you watch these iconic movie clips with little / no reaction?



#CRJ105 #MoraineValley

If you got through any of those clips, did you ...

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"Furlow ... why you gotta do me like that???"

Sorry. Me too, my friend, me too. Every. Single. Time.

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Let's see if we can make some connections from these clips, your reactions, and biological trait theory ...

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Sometimes a defect in the production of sperm or egg results in genetic abnormalities.

One type of abnormality is the XYY chromosomal male. The XYY male receives two Y chromosomes from his father rather than one.

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How many of you are familiar with the criminal, Richard Speck?

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The XYY syndrome received much public attention because of the case of Richard Speck. Speck, who in 1966 murdered eight nurses in Chicago, initially (but incorrectly) was diagnosed as an XYY chromosomal male



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SIDENOTE: And if you are NOT familiar with the Speck Murders tapes, it's worth revisiting:



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To discover whether crime is genetically predetermined, researchers have compared identical and fraternal twins

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One way to separate the influence of inherited traits from that of environmental conditions would be to study infants separated at birth from their natural parents and placed randomly in foster homes

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No one yet has found any direct link between genes and violence

A middle-of-the-road approach is proposed by those who see biological research as a key to helping criminals change their behavior.

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Of the risk-factors shared by the National Academy of Science, which do you think would be most linked with criminal behavior?

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Do your genes, rather than upbringing, determine whether you will become a criminal? Adrian Raine believed so – and breaking that taboo put him on collision course with the world of science

theguardian.com/science/2013/m……

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The debate over the relationship between IQ and crime has its roots in the controversy over whether intelligence is genetically or environmentally determined

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Which is more influential in shaping how you see the world?

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Bio-criminologists’ primary focus has been on the relationship between criminality and biochemical and neuro-physiological factors

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Of the different chemicals that affect the biology of our body, what do you believe has the most impact?

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Hormones are chemical messengers produced by:
~the endocrine glands,
~the brain,
~gastrointestinal organs,
~sex organs,
~the kidney,
~the heart,
~the pineal gland,
~the skin
~and the hair.

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Hormones exert a strong influence on behavior

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Hormones not only influence reactive or conscious behavior after environmental cues, but they also influence anticipatory or unconscious behavior



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THINKING CHALLENGE: What is your unconscious reaction to a jump scare?

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The goal of the "Can You Watch Without Reacting" videos was to show how instinctively our hormones control our reactions without our rational choice

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If I made you sad with all those movie clips ...

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Another great example of how hormones influence our behavior and how we react to others include ...

pheromones!

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Experiments have shown that male animals typically are more aggressive than females.

Several investigators have found higher levels of testosterone (the male hormone) in the blood of individuals who have committed violent offenses

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Some studies also relate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) to delin­quency and conclude that women are at greater risk of aggressive and suicidal behavior before and during the menstrual period

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BUT ... how many of us are really willing to relinquish our decision making to the influence of hormones?

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THINKING CHALLENGE: How did it go when you told girlfriend that she was only being 'bitchy' because it was that time of the month?

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One of my favorite listens on this topic, from @CriminalShow, "That Crime of the Month"

thisiscriminal.com/episode-nine-t……

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Anecdotal reports, in addition to more scientific investigations, link criminality to diets high in sugar and carbohydrates, to vitamin deficiency or dependency, and to excessive food additives

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Hypoglycemia is a condition that occurs when the level of sugar in the blood falls below an acceptable range.

The brain is particularly vulnerable to hypoglycemia, and such a condition can impair its function

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THINKING CHALLENGE: What conditions are you most likely to be grumpy & take it out on others?

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Over the last two decades, researchers have investigated the relation between food allergies and aggression and antisocial behavior

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In 1979, Dan White, who confessed to killing the San Francisco city mayor (George Moscone) and a City Councilman (Harvey Milk), said his behavior was precipitated by an addiction to sugar-laden food

#TwinkeeDefense #CRJ105 #MoraineValley

You may have heard of White's defense, known more popularly as the Twinkie Defense.

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Confession Time! When was the last time you had a twinkie?

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Neuro-criminological studies have included studies of cerebral structure, brain wave studies, clinical reports of minimal brain dysfunction, and theoretical explorations into the relationship between the limbic system and criminality

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Advances in brain imaging made accessible by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other imaging technologies (for example, positron emission tomography, or PET scan) offer dramatic new insights into the brains of criminals.

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The neurophysiological factors criminologists once were exclusively concerned with—for example, EEG abnormalities and minimal brain dysfunction—raised fewer concerns

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The EEG is a tracing made by an instrument that measures cerebral functioning by recording brain wave activity with electrodes placed on the scalp.

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Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) is classified as “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”

MBD produces asocial behavioral patterns such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, aggressiveness, low self-esteem, and temper outbursts

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THINKING CHALLENGE: How are you familiar with Charles Whitman?

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The Charles Whitman case brought attention to brain dysfunction and violence



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We've seen current debates surrounding football, concussions, and associations with violence

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Concussion Watch: The hidden story of the NFL and brain injuries from @frontlinepbs

pbs.org/wgbh/frontline……

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Knowing what we now know about brain injuries, at what age would you allow an adolescent to play tackle football?

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Have you read / watched / listened to the story of Aaron Hernandez?

apps.bostonglobe.com/spotlight/glad……

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THINKING CHALLENGE: Do you believe a brain injury influenced Hernandez' violent behavior? What do your followers think, @CPD1617Scanner

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Biocriminologists often deny the existence of individual free will and some see a racist undertone to biocriminological research

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What did you find most surprizing in our discussion this week?

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And I need to know, have you recovered from the sad movie clips? For your extra credit, send me the movie scene gets you EVERY TIME.

Let's ugly cry together.

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THINKING CHALLENGE: When you see someone else cry, do you typically ...

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If you find this reaction interesting, you have to read a little bit more about your para-sympathetic nervous system & the Vagus Nerve

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We will resume this discussion Tuesday (No School on Monday, 2/21) to examine Psychological Trait theory, so bring your couch & your favorite stories about your mother ...

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What are you most interested in learning about in Psychology ...

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Until then, my friends! How would you grade today's discussion?

As always, send any questions, comments, feedback

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Here's my video that NEVER fails to make me tear up



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@UnrollHelper