Which theory asserts that biological characteristics can predispose someone to criminal behavior?

• A. Psychological Theory
• B. Biological Theory
• C. Sociological Theory
• D. Labeling Theory

Answer: (B)

Biological predisposition is the idea that certain heritable traits or brain-to-function differences can incline a person toward criminal behavior. Biological theories suggest that genetics, neurophysiology, hormones, or brain structure can influence impulses, aggression, risk-taking, or impulse control, creating a tendency toward crime rather than guaranteeing it. This view emphasizes how biology can set a background risk that interacts with life experiences to shape outcomes.

This fits better than other approaches because psychological theories focus on internal mental processes and emotions, not biological predispositions; sociological theories stress social context, structures, and learned behavior; and labeling theory explains how being labeled as deviant affects future actions rather than inherent biological risk. In practice, many scholars see crime as a result of interactions between biology and environment, where genetic or physiological factors contribute to risk but only manifest as criminal behavior under certain social or contextual conditions. Early ideas about “born criminals” gave way to a more nuanced understanding that biology can influence propensity, while environment and experiences help determine whether that propensity leads to crime.