Marcus is on trial for a series of violent offenses. The defense team presents evidence showing Marcus has a family history of violent behavior, a rare variant of the MAOA ('warrior') gene, and structural abnormalities in his prefrontal cortex, which they argue severely impaired his impulse control. In response, the prosecution argues that Marcus is entirely responsible for his actions, highlighting that many individuals with genetic predispositions or brain structural differences live law-abiding lives.
Discuss genetic and neural explanations of offending behaviour. Refer to Marcus’s case in your answer.
10 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Psychology Biological explanations of offending. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.