Which criminology theorist developed a personality theory related to crime?

• A. Bandura
• B. Eysenck
• C. Jacobs
• D. XYY

Answer: (B)

Criminal behavior can be linked to stable personality traits, and the theorist who formalized a personality-based explanation is Eysenck. He proposed the PEN model, with three temperament dimensions: Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Psychoticism. People scoring high on these traits are thought to be more prone to crime because their temperament affects how they respond to socialization and conditioning and, combined with biological factors, can influence likelihoods of rule-breaking. This approach is distinct from Bandura’s focus on learning through observation, and from XYY, which centers on a chromosomal idea rather than personality, or Jacobs, which isn’t the well-known personality-crime theory here. So, Eysenck is the best fit for a personality theory related to crime.