Autonomic Activity/Reactivity, Behavior, and Crime in a Longitudinal Perspective (From Facts, Frameworks, and Forecasts: Advances in Criminological Theory, V 3, P 287-318, 1992, Joan McCord, ed. -- See NCJ-136081)

• NCJ Number: 136093
• Author(s): D Magnusson; B Klinteberg; H Stattin
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 32 pages
• Sale Source: Transaction Publishers
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper presents empirical data on the relationships between adrenaline excretion, as an indication of autonomic reaction to environmental events and conditions, on the one hand, and problem behaviors and criminal activity on the other hand; these results are discussed in a theoretical framework.

Abstract

The research group consisted of all boys in a Swedish community of approximately 100,000 residents; the boys attended grade three of the compulsory school system in 1965 (average age of 10). All boys were rated by their teachers regarding their behaviors at ages 10 and 13. Subsequent data on criminal activity were obtained from national and local official sources. As a measure of autonomic activity/reactivity, data for the excretion of adrenaline in urine were collected for a subsample of boys when they were approximately 13 years old. Urine samples were collected under standardized conditions after a normal, nonstressful situation and after a stressful, achievement-demanding situation. Generally, findings show a positive correlation between good social and personal adjustment and high adrenaline excretion. Antisocial behavior correlated with low adrenaline excretion. The paper elaborates on these findings and their implications for crime-causes theory and research. 5 figures and 85 references