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Behavioral and social learning theories see criminality as a learned behavior. Psychological traits such as personality and intelligence have been linked to criminality. One important area of study has been the psychopath, a person who lacks emotion and concern for others.
An introductory text that provides a thorough overview of the psychology of crime. In addition to covering material relating to personality and temperament, also discusses the role of intelligence and biology.
Combined, these five theories or characteristics (i.e., psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, personality, and intelligence) offer appealing insights into why an individual may commit a crime (Schmalleger, 2008).
Latent trait theories developed by Gottfredson, Hirschi, Wilson, and Hernstein integrate choice theory concepts; people with latent traits choose crime over non-crime and the opportunity for crime mediates their choice.
The individual trait theory of criminology, sometimes called the trait theory of criminology, says that people commit crimes because of certain personality traits.
The study of traits may elucidate why certain individual react to life strain by offending, why particular individuals are targets of crime, and why psychopathic offenders choose particular avenues of crime.
Major psychological theories of crime include the trait theory of personality and theories of psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and cognitive psychology. Psychoanalysis emphasizes motivation and evil human nature, and holds that sexual and aggressive instincts are the fundamental causes of crime.