Sasha is 17 years old and was recently arrested for a series of unprovoked physical assaults on peers and reckless driving. Her maternal family has a notable history of violent behavior; her biological mother is currently serving a sentence for grievous bodily harm, and her uncle has a long history of aggressive offences.
When Sasha was eleven, she survived a severe bicycle accident, sustaining a localized injury to her prefrontal cortex. Following her recovery, her family and teachers observed a dramatic shift in her personality, characterized by severe emotional dysregulation, an inability to anticipate consequences, and heightened hostility.
Following her expulsion from school, Sasha was frequently monitored by local community wardens, and local residents actively avoid her, describing her as 'naturally violent' and 'born to cause trouble'.
Discuss how biological and social factors may have contributed to Sasha's delinquent behaviour.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions covering Biological explanations of crime, Social explanations of crime, Cognitive and ethical interview techniques, Psychological formulation of offending, Cognitive-behavioural treatment for offenders, Biological treatment for offenders, Factors influencing eye-witness testimony, Factors influencing jury decision-making, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
