Question

Do criminals have a different nervous system response to fear then non criminal,

Answer 1

Sarnoff A. Mednick, a famous scholar, who have worked in the area of sociobiology and methods of learning, forwarded a criminological theory called the 'Mednick's Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Theory of Crime'. This theory helps to explain different autonomic nervous system of criminals, as compared to non-criminals, which determine the quality of the emotion of fear.

With the theory, Mednick attempted to make it comprehensible that the emotion of fear (be it fear of punishment or fear for one's life), is a strong element of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and operates through it. One's ANS is said to be functioning normally, if he is able to deplete fear quickly, which leads to immediate relaxation. But if a person has a slowly recovering ANS, he will be unable to dissipate fear and is therefore not reinforced, which opens the door for future antisocial or criminal behaviors. In other words, Mednick is theorizing that people, who lack the ability to diminish fear of punishment, will be left with no inhibiting elements, that will restrain them from antisocial behavior. They therefore will not be able to learn passive avoidance. Passive avoidance is an acquired personality trait or characteristic, which takes many stages to grow.   

Passive avoidance initially shows up, when a child engages in aggressive behavior, and is subsequently punished for it. When the child again faces the same or similar situation, he does not behave aggressively, as he was previously punished for the same behavior. The youth then overcomes the fear of punishment, making the normal child restraining from the action, which lessens the fear.

The autonomic nervous system in a human body acts as the regulatory section of the central nervous system. It is the ANS, which mostly controls arousal and adaptation to one's environment. According to Mednick, the autonomic nervous system responsiveness controls social learning of law-abiding behavior. Thus, criminals may have a delayed or stunted ANS response than non-criminals, which might be transferred to the offspring, intergenerationally. It is important to note that brain waves produced by the ANS appeared to be delayed in children, who became criminals, later in their lives. Thus, 'Mednick's Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Theory of Crime' not only helps in understanding the fear response of the criminals, but also helps in predicting future criminal behavior in a person.