Gottfredson and Hirschi Link the Propensity to Commit Crime to Two

question 49

Essay

Gottfredson and Hirschi link the propensity to commit crime to two latent traits - an impulsive personality and a lack of self-control. Explain how these traits result in crime.

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Definitions:

Associative Learning

A learning process by which a subject comes to associate stimuli or behaviors with certain outcomes.

Drug Addiction

A chronic disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences, altering brain function and behavior.

Glutamate Agonists

Substances that mimic the action of glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, and can therefore enhance its activity.

Glutamate

An important neurotransmitter in the nervous system involved in memory, learning, and the regulation of the brain's excitatory signals.