Neurobiology for forensic psychologists

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to outline some of the parts of the brain to increase understanding of the aetiology of criminal behaviours. It goes without saying that any complete answer will encompass: evolutionary, genetic, biochemical, neuropsychological, and cognitive factors as well as social factors (familial and societal). Antisocial and social behaviours are underpinned by feeling, cognitions and actions, which are in turn, underpinned by the neurobiological actions in the brain. The daunting task of understanding the relations between brain function and offending is made potentially more tractable by the way in which the brain can be seen as being organised into discrete anatomical circuits, many of which have definable functions. The paper describes a number of these circuits in detail.

KEYWORDS:

• Forensic psychology
• neurobiology
• neuroscience

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.