Reimagining the Roles of Selfishness and Impulse in Criminological Theory

• In Event: Exploring the Role of Self-Control in Offending

Abstract

In the criminological field, selfishness and impulse are often viewed as two of the six elements of low self-control. This paper presents a new perspective of examining selfishness and impulse in terms of offending. Impulse was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, selfishness was measured using Raine’s Selfishness Questionnaire, and low self-control was measured using the Grasmick Scale. Factor analyses indicate that selfishness and impulse are different from one another as well as different from low self-control. Negative binomial regressions examining general future offending among a sample of 511 adults indicate that selfishness, impulse, and low self-control are associated with future offending in general. These findings show it would be worthwhile to investigate impulse and selfishness in relation to offending as their own concepts, rather than only as elements of low self-control.

Author

• Victoria Lynn Rapp, Mississippi State University - NSPARC