Individualist Theories

1. Individualist Theories Mostly Psychological and Biological

2. Individualist Theories Americans favor individualist explanations for delinquency. But they are less systematic Not as successful at explaining delinquent involvement Individualist theories historically invoked: • morality • personal responsibility • calculating criminals Increasingly include a medical model of individual sickness

3. Individualist Theories Equipotentiality • Trait theorists dismiss equipotentiality • the idea that all humans are born with equal potential to learn and achieve. • Sociologists typically see biological equipotentiality, but argue that humans are not born with social equality of circumstances (e.g., wealth, education, location)

4. Individualist Theories Trait theorists too often note differences in the physical or mental manifestations of delinquents and assume that these characteristics make kids delinquent. They often believe the dualistic fallacy—that conformists and deviants are mutually exclusive categories. Americans generally think this way even though most break laws in some way (recall that we were all juvenile delinquents).

5. Individualist Theories Traits: • Trait theorists often ignore the social dynamic, saying that traits represent biological distinctions or result from early childhood experiences. • Psychologizing of social systems seen in some “traits.” Inherent traits or products of interactions? • Agnew (chapter 13) does a good job listing traits associated with delinquency, and discussing why they, through social processes, lead to delinquency.

6. Individualist Theories Traits Associated with Delinquency Low Verbal IQ Learning Disabilities Hyperactivity Attention Deficit Disorder Sensation Seeking Reduced ability to learn from Punishment Irritability Insensitivity to others/Low empathy Flawed Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills/Social Skills Flawed Moral Reasoning and Moral Beliefs

7. Individualist Theories Traits: • Why not put in the list? • being born black • being born with a penis • being born young Certainly these are biological realities... • What about? • economic disadvantitis • high density disorder

8. Individualist Theories Fun Historical Information: Lombroso’s Criminal Atavism Determined by measuring features of criminals in Italy. They were more “pre-historic” looking Modern atavists? (We might have some in class) What would the physical profile of a criminal be today?

9. Individualist Theories Fun Historical Information: Sheldon's Somatotype School • Mesomorphs (muscular people) • Endomorphs (fat people) • Ectomorphs (skinny people) • Which is more likely to commit computer crimes?

10. Individualist Theories • Trait theories are like popular conceptions of dog breeds Is all breed ideology correct? • Personality and skills attributed to breeds of dogs, typecasting on appearances. • Breed-specific legislation. E.g., Many animal shelters put pit bulls downautomatically. • Pit bulls are said to be very aggressive, tenacious and dangerous.

11. Individualist Theories • Experienced pit bull owners will tell you that they are aggressive and fight only when intentionally mistreated—trained to be bad. • The ways dogs are treated due to their “traits” may be more important than the behaviors the traits are said to produce. • Pit bulls are not the “baddest” dog on record. Rottweilers are worse according to statistics. • In a 20-year period, 238 people in the US were killed by 25 different breeds. Pit Bull types and Rottweilers were involved in half. Most were by unrestrained dogs.

12. Individualist Theories Modern Trait Theories • Often escape the simplicity of previous theories, but suffer similar problems: ignoring social conditions and methodological flaws in research. • For example, Biochemical Factors in Delinquency • Sugar is actually not linked to problem behavior chemically. What about socially? • Diet is socially and culturally determined. Vietnamese eat differently from Chicanos who eat differently from Filipinos. Rich eat differently from poor. • Main Point: Few human phenomena are independent of social experience.

13. Individualist Theories Many studies point to neurological or mental problems of delinquents, but these often: • Lack comparison groups or statistical controls or make misleading comparisons • E.G. Often report percent of delinquents with a problem without offering a value for the general population (could be higher, we don’t know). • How many problem people live successful lives? (E.g, most drinkers are conformists.) • What social conditions might lead to increased arrest of problem people? • Stay in seat at school? • Stable home? • Skill at handling authority (self presentation)?

14. Individualist Theories Sample from Mobile, AL. IQ scores are centered on 100, meaning this sample has low IQ. Mean = 83, SD is 13.

15. Individualist Theories • But we cannot ignore traits... • We must have biological capacities before we can do anything social. For example, we must have: • capacity for language to speak • arms to hold a child • we cannot fly without machines • Misfiring neurons can make you socially awkward • However, it is NOT biology that determines: • What society values • Choices people make with limited options or insight • Place kicker vs. “Ass-kicker”