Reward Dominance

and
Prefrontal Dysfunction
Theories
Reward dominance theory
is a neurological theory based on the proposition that
behavior is regulated by two opposing mechanisms, the
behavioral activating system (BAS) and the behavioral
inhibition system (BIS). The BAS is associated with the
neurotransmitter dopamine and with pleasure areas in the
brain.
Reward dominance theory
is a neurological theory based on the proposition that
behavior is regulated by two opposing mechanisms, the
behavioral activating system (BAS) and the behavioral
inhibition system (BIS). The BAS is associated with the
neurotransmitter dopamine and with pleasure areas in the
brain.
BEHAVIORAL ACTIVATING SYSTEM (BAS)

•is sensitive to reward and can be likened to an

accelerator motivating a person to seek rewarding
stimuli.
•motivates us to seek whatever affords us pleasure, and
the BIS tells us when we have had enough for our own
good.
BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION SYSTEM (BIS)

•is associated with serotonin and with brain structures

that govern memory.
• is sensitive to threats of punishment and can be likened
to a brake that stops a person from going too far too
fast.
Neurotransmitters
such as Dopamine and Serotonin are the chemical messengers
that shunt information between neural networks.

•Dopamine Facilitates goal-directed behavior and

•Serotonin Generally modulates behavior
The theory asserts that criminals, especially chronic criminals,
have a Dominant BAS, which tends to make them overly sensitive
to reward cues and relatively insensitive to punishment cues .
Reward Dominance Theory provides us with hard physical
evidence relating to the concepts of sensation seeking,
impulsiveness, and low self-control we have previously discussed
because each of these traits is underlain by either a sticky
accelerator (high dopamine) or faulty brakes (low serotonin).
Behavioral Activating System (BAS) and
Behavioral Inhibiting System (BIS) are
Dopamine and Serotonin driven , respectively .
Among criminals the BAS tends to be
dominant over the BIS. This BIS/BAS
imbalance can lead to addiction to many
things, including crime
•A third system of behavior control is the Flight/Fight System
(FFS) chemically controlled by epinephrine (adrenaline).

•The Flight/Fight System (FFS) is that part of the autonomic

nervous system that mobilizes the body for vigorous action in
response to threats by pumping out epinephrine (adrenaline).
PREFRONTAL DYSFUNCTION THEORY
 “PREFRONTAL DYSFUNCTION THEORY”
• The Prefrontal Dysfunction Theory is another key theory that
concerns the abnormality of the prefrontal cortex (PCT) in
certain individuals. The PFC corresponds to, or is responsible
for, many human attributes such as “making moral judgments,
analyzing, synthesizing, and modulating emotions” (Raine,
2002). Collectively, the functions of the prefrontal cortex are
known as executive functions (EF) and can be said as the basis
of prosocial behavior.
• If the PFC is damaged in any way, the executive functions will
be compromised which can result in antisocial behavior, and if
the damage is severe violent criminal behavior can surface.
PREFRONTAL DYSFUNCTION THEORY

• The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) provides us with

knowledge about “how other people see and
think about us”. If these functions are
compromised in some way via damage to the
PFC, the result is often antisocial behavior.
What is the Prefrontal Cortex?
The prefrontal cortex is located at the anterior part of the brain, directly
behind the eyes and forehead. Researchers typically divide the prefrontal
cortex into different sub-regions. These include the:
•Dorsolateral cortex
•Orbitofrontal cortex
•Ventromedial cortex
• Dorsolateral cortex is an area in the prefrontal cortex of the brain of humans and
other primates. It is one of the most recently derived parts of the human brain. It
undergoes a prolonged period of maturation which lasts until adulthood

• Orbitofrontal cortex it is found at the very front of the brain, and has extensive
connections with sensory areas as well as limbic system structures involved in
emotion and memory.

• Ventromedial cortex located in the frontal lobe at the bottom of the 

cerebral hemispheres and is implicated in the processing of risk and fear, as it is
critical in the regulation of amygdala activity in humans. It also plays a role in the
inhibition of emotional responses, and in the process of decision-making and 
self-control. It is also involved in the cognitive evaluation of morality.
 STUDIES ON PREFRONTAL DYSFUNCTION THEORY

• According to Buffin and Laurel (2005), the prefrontal cortex and the temporal regions are
also associated with impulsive acts, aggressive or violent behavior. Several Studies also
quote the influence of the brain structure dysfunction as the root cause for the
occurrence of criminality in children.
• A prefrontal Dysfunction theory which is being advanced suggests that the social
executive demands that emerge in the late adolescence is overloaded by the late
development of the prefrontal cortex, that gives origin to the dysfunction of the
prefrontal cortex and might be deficient in the inhibitory control over anti-social or violent
behavior that over flows at this ages ( Raine, 2002)
• Patients with prefrontal cortex damage do not typically
display the classic signs of a brain injury. For example, they
can have normal movement and intelligence, and all their
senses are usually intact. Therefore, at first glance, they
can appear to have made a full recovery from their injury.
• However, family members and those close to the patient
might notice more concerning changes. A person with
damage to the prefrontal cortex might have 
blunted emotional responses, for instance. They might even
become more aggressive and irritable, and struggle to
initiate activities. Finally, they might perform poorly on tasks
that require long-term planning and impulse inhibition.
• Brain imaging studies suggest that antisocial and
violent behavior is associated with structural and
functional deficits in the prefrontal cortex, but there
is heterogeneity in findings and it is unclear
whether findings apply to psychopaths, non-violent
offenders, community-based samples, and studies
employing psychiatric controls
Schizophrenia patients’ deficits in executive
functions have been consistently associated with a
dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex. However,
important questions remain regarding such
disturbances, including the nature of the
relationship between frontal deficits and cognitive
impairments, their specificity to schizophrenia,
their association with clinical symptoms, and the
influence of potentially confounding factors such as
performance confounds, medication effects, and
chronicity of illness
 Summary
Theory Key concepts Strengths Weaknesses
END OF PRESENTATION
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