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Two Personality Variables and their Distribution in a Criminal Population: an empirical study
Author(s) -
FITCH J. H.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
british journal of social and clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0007-1293
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1962.tb00696.x
Subject(s) - psychology , neuroticism , extraversion and introversion , population , personality , recidivism , clinical psychology , scale (ratio) , anxiety , developmental psychology , big five personality traits , psychiatry , demography , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics , sociology
Data relation to the distribution of MPI scores in a criminal population is presented. Performance on the MPI is not affected by intellectual ability or literacy attainments but performance on the E scale appears to be related to age and on the N scale to the felt anxiety of the remand situation. The association between neuroticism and recidivism previously reported by others was confirmed but no direct association was found between extraversion‐introversion and recidivism. Evidence was found that sexual offences were more likely to be committed by introverted than extraverted personalities. The relationship between E and N scale scores and variables relating to upbringing and early environment was examined. Significant associations were found between high E scale scores and variables suggestive of an early failure in socialization. High N scale scores were significantly associated with reported childhood unhappiness and with a family history of mental disorder.