Arousal Theory of Causasion

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Arousal Theory of Causation

Introduction

The research done for this paper was conducted to explain the arousal theory and its relation to crime. The first section of research is to explain the arousal theory and the assumptions that can be concluded from the theory, as well as, explain the positivistic school of criminological thought. The second section is to tell observational support of the positivist school and describe studies done on delinquents to explain and support the arousal theory. The third section discusses the theory, how it explains all crime, and the specific crimes it most pertains to be about. The research presented is important to explaining that most crime is caused by the need for arousal rather than need to lower the levels of arousal. The more research conducted on the hormones and brain activity of delinquents will further support the arousal theory for almost every crime conducted by serial and first time criminals by explaining that most of these people have a resting arousal level that is lower than the optimal level for that individual.

Nature of Arousal Theory

The arousal theory suggests that aggressive and antisocial behavior stems from the individual having low levels of arousal and a need to stimulate stress in innovative ways to reach the optimum levels (Buitelaar, Van Engeland, Van Goozen, Mathys & Snoek, 2004). Hormonal reactions to the nervous system called neuroendocrine changes can be caused by the need for survival under a threat or in a stressful situation for any organism including humans and the display of response is dependent on the phenotypic level of reactivity (Boyce & Ellis, 2005). Every action can be seen as an event focused of attempting to obtain arousal because it has a p...

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...5-366. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1997.tb00879.x

Ellis, L. (2005). A theory explaining biological correlates of criminality. European journal of criminology. 2, 287-315. doi: 10 .1177/1477370805054098

Fairchild, G. & Van Goozen, S.H.M. (2008). How can the study of biological processes help design new interventions for children with severe antisocial behavior? Development and psychopathology. 20, 941-973. doi: 10.1017/S095457940800045X

Hanoch, Y. & Vitouch, O. (2004). When less is more: Information, emotional arousal and the ecological reframing of the Yerkes-Dodson Law. Theory & psychology. 14, 427-452. doi: 10.1177/0959354304044918

Buitelaar, J.K., Van Engeland, H., Van Goozen, S.H.M., Mathys, W. & Snoek, H. (2004). Strss responsivity in children with externalizing behavior disorders. Development and psychopathology. 16, 389-406. doi: 10.10170S0954579404044578

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