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Theories and Models in Biology and Psychology

Explore the relevance of biological and psychological theories in understanding delinquency. Discuss the criteria for good theories and the different levels of analysis. Examine causality and the origins of biological positivism. Learn about the typology of neuropsychology and individual treatment approaches. Assess the effectiveness of prevention projects in controlling delinquency.

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Theories and Models in Biology and Psychology

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  1. Lecture 6: from correlates to causal models: biology and psychology chris uggen – soc 4141

  2. theory • Why not skip all the boring theories and just deal with the real? • Movies or documentaries about delinquency • “War stories” • Journalistic/descriptive accounts • What are the criteria for good theories? • Logical consistency • Generality • Testability • Empirical Validity • Usefulness! chris uggen – soc 4141

  3. levels • What are we trying to explain • Which level of analysis is most important? • Individual • Group • Society • Time • Situation chris uggen – soc 4141

  4. causality • Criteria for establishing causality? • Association • Temporal order • Lack of spuriousness chris uggen – soc 4141

  5. biology and psychology • Origins: Biological positivism and Lombroso (1905) p. 72 quote • Darwin’s Origins (1859) and Descent (1871) • Criminals resemble "primitive races" • Today: twin studies and interactions between heredity and environment chris uggen – soc 4141

  6. neuropsychology • Terrie Moffit’s (1993) Typology • “Life-course persistent” (LCP) vs “adolescent-limited” (AL) • Onset of LCP is (way) earlier • tied to deficit disorder and learning problems • AL follow age-crime curve • Fewer deficits, more opportunities • Complicated picture today chris uggen – soc 4141

  7. individual treatment “We don’t need no stinking theories…” • 1915 Chicago: Healy's individualized treatment • Early identification, classification, and treatment • Prediction • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Glueck Social Prediction Table • False positives and false negatives • Inaccurate 50-75% of time • Prevention • The Cambridge-Somerville Youth Study • No diff in school, personality & family • No diff in delinquency (29% experimental versus 28% control at follow-up) chris uggen – soc 4141

  8. Lundman’s pessimism • “Prevention projects don't work and they waste money, violate the rights of juveniles and their families, inspire bizarre suggestions and programs, and fail to affect the known correlates of urban delinquency” [ouch] • Need a theory, or set of related ideas about causes of delinquency, to prevent or control it chris uggen – soc 4141

  9. Recent optimism • Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising (www.soc.umn.edu/~uggen/4141) • Perry preschool (1962) • Nurse home visits (1990s) • Promising • family counseling • esp. multi-systemic therapy (MST) for serious and chronic offenders chris uggen – soc 4141

  10. next • Rational choice and deterrence theories • Scared straight policy response chris uggen – soc 4141

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