EncephalizationQuotient-CollegeofCharleston.docVIP

Stats from Ghosts in the Nursery: Violent crime in juveniles more than quadrupled in last 25 years of the 20th century – the use of weapons in violent crime more than doubling in 10 years. African-American males have a 1-in-4 chance of going to prison, Hispanic males a 1-in-6 chance. Many states are spending more money on their criminal system than their educational system. A baby is born every minute to a teen mother. 25% of preschool children live below poverty line. 1-in-4 foster children entered system on/before 1st bday. 1-in-3 victims of physical abuse is a baby less than 1-year old. Every day a baby dies of abuse/neglect at the hands of their care-giver. 3 out of every 4 children murdered in the top 26 industrialized nations were American. Child care: 8.4% deemed developmentally appropriate, 51.1% judged to be mediocre, 40.5% poor quality. Why? What are the risk factors? Risk factors for aggression/violence Human brain plasticity – greatest strength/weakness Encephalization Quotient: Human = 7.4 Chimps = 2.5 Yet body size/structure very similar. So how do we accommodate the additional brain mass? Maximizing brain density (sulci/gyri) Born prematurely: 25% of brain mass vs. 70-80% at birth Most of that development occurs in the first 5 years of life! Human brain ideally placed to sculpt itself to the environment (as well as sculpt the environment to itself). Experience-expectant plasticity (Critical period) Experience-dependent plasticity (Sensitive period) Genetic/Biological: Reduced automonic reponse Lower resting heart rate/heart rate variability Reduced electrodermal and cardiovascular arousal Why lead to anti-social/violent criminal behavior? Fearlessness Theory Stimulation-Seeking Theory Introversion vs. Extroversion Lower intelligence/Learning disabilities Attention/Hyperactivity deficits Temperament/Personality MPA’s (Minor Physical Anomalies) – congenital abnormalities Biological/Environmental Prenatal exposure to alcohol/drugs FAS