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Criminal Personality Variables

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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

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Synonyms

Criminal personality; Individual aspects related to criminal behavior

Definition

Criminal personality variables are understood as individual aspects that seem to influence involvement in criminal behavior.

Introduction

Criminal behavior is related to several variables, both environmental and individual. Several researchers point out different elements for the explanation of crime starting from the various theoretical points of view. Criminology has added most of these explanations to a field of study and practice as it constitutes an overlap of several sciences. Among these, psychology has made several contributions, both in theorizing and in intervening in criminal behavior. One of the main elements of study within psychology, more specifically investigations of criminal behavior, is personality.

In the field of psychology, personality is one of the most frequently studied and debated concepts. However, Allport (1955) already argued that personality is a very complex concept...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Roger S. Sousa & Sophia Lóren de Holanda Sousa

Authors
  1. Roger S. Sousa
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  2. Sophia Lóren de Holanda Sousa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roger S. Sousa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, MI, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

    Valerie G. Starratt

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Sousa, R.S., Sousa, S.L.d.H. (2019). Criminal Personality Variables. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3205-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3205-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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