Cesare Lombroso is one of Italy's most famous psychiatrists and forensic experts. Despite the fact that some consider the findings of his research questionable, Lombroso is the recognized founder of the anthropological trend in forensic science.
Student years of the scientist
Cesare Lombroso was born in 1835 in the Italian city of Verona. After graduating from high school, Lombroso began his studies at the University of Pavia, where he was particularly interested in anthropology, neurophysiology and psychiatry. The teachers loved the student Lombroso very much - after all, he was very diligent, studying not only according to the program, but also overtime. In order to better understand the differences between ethnic groups, Cesare even began to learn foreign languages - Chinese and Aramaic. However, in the future he chose a slightly different path, thanks to which the anthropological theory of Cesare Lombroso became known to the whole world.
Conclusion experience
At the age of 18, Lombroso was imprisoned, as he participated in the movement for the unification of Italy and was suspected of conspiracy against the government. The student was released in a fairly short time: he did not even accumulate academic debt. But the stay in the cell made an indelible impression on him. The young man was amazed at how rude his cellmates behaved and what facial features they possessed. Cesare even suspected that these people may suffer from cretinism. The theory of criminals Lombroso and the idea of its creation, perhaps, came to the researcher in this gloomy period of his life.
Measuring the faces of criminals: experience gained with a caniograph
At the age of 27, Lombroso became a participant in a popular uprising, fighting for the independence of his people from Austria. After the revolution ended with the defeat of the rebels, Lombroso continued his work in the military unit - now as a military doctor. At this time, he again creates his own author's device for identifying criminals. The caniograph used by the researcher to measure the noses, chins, and superciliary arches of suspected misdemeanors did not leave the researcher for a day.
Over time, he collected such a large amount of data that he came up with an unexpected idea, on which the whole theory of Lombroso is based. The scientist thought: what if they do not become criminals, but are born? Indeed, according to the scientist, the propensity for delinquency is the “inheritance” of man, which he inherited from animals.
The criminals themselves, Lombroso believed, should be considered mentally retarded, or degenerates - this is the main position on which the theory of Lombroso was based. Types of criminals were identified by the researcher according to external data. All the suspects, whose faces Lombroso measured, had features that made them look like primitive people. A low forehead, large jaws, closely set eyes - these are the signs, according to the conclusions of the scientist, are individuals prone to breaking the law.
The predecessor of the lie detector invented by Lombroso
The apparent manifestations of criminal propensity were not the only passion of the researcher. It should be noted that the devices he invented received much less popularity than the anthropological theory of Lombroso. The scientist developed the predecessor of the modern polygraph. Then this device was called "hydrophygmometer." With the help of his invention, Lombroso measured the pulse and pressure of the interrogated, trying to find out the reaction of their body to the questions posed.
Distinguish the innocent from the criminal: the first experiments with the device
When Lombroso used his device for the first time, he was suspected of theft during interrogation. During the conversation with the detainee, the readings of the device did not differ from ordinary ones - the criminal had no reaction. When he was asked about fraud with other people's passports, the first lie detector recorded a change in indicators. Later it turned out that the interrogated was really a member of this scam.
The next subject was a rape suspect. Law enforcement agencies were fully confident that what they caught was indeed an inveterate pimp. But when the investigator showed him a photograph of one of the victims, the hydrophygmometer did not show any changes in the body of the alleged offender. The investigator only dismissed all the arguments of Lombroso - he believed that the interrogated was so numb in his crimes that remorse, as well as a sense of fear, were unknown to him.
Then the famous psychiatrist suggested that the suspect solve a complex mathematical problem to find out if this is really so. When the detainee saw the task, the device immediately recorded the changes - and this meant that he still knew the fear. Soon, Lombroso's theory was confirmed - an additional investigation revealed the real criminal, and the suspect, who could not solve the problems, was rightly released.
Since then, the device invented by Cesare has undergone significant transformations. But the Italian criminologist is still considered the pioneer in this area. Today, a lie detector is used not only in law enforcement, but also in many large companies.
Cesare Lombroso's theory of genius
In 1863, the famous Lombroso’s book entitled “Genius and Madness” was released. The basis for the work was the information collected by the researcher while working in a psychiatric clinic. Under the close attention of Lombroso was the behavior of patients, their creativity, the topics that they chose for their drawings or notes. The scientist tried to find out how much one can judge a person’s mental health by his creative work.
Lombroso’s theory of genius, formed on the basis of his observations, states: artistic abilities are hereditary - moreover, they pass from their ancestors along with mental deviations. After Lombroso made his conclusions, he began to look for confirmation in history. The researcher began to study the biographies of great people and came to the conclusion that many of them were not only geniuses, but also crazy. He included, for example, composers Mozart, Beethoven, Gluck.
Lombroso’s theory of genius, thus, put on a par with both neurotic tendencies and giftedness. One of the arguments in her favor, Lombroso considered the increased sensitivity of both the mentally ill and the genius. The difference between these two extremes, according to the scientist, is in the reaction of people to the world around them. The same event for a genius can be an impetus for discovery, and for a neurotic - the cause of an even greater mental disorder.
Anthropological theory of Cesare Lombroso: the giftedness of the Jews
The researcher found for himself an interesting relationship between nationality and the number of talented people. In the first place in terms of the number of geniuses and neurotics, there are Jews. Lombroso explains this pattern as follows: the Jewish people were constantly persecuted, so they went through a rather cruel selection. The researcher cites the following figures: for 384 people, Jews have one crazy person.
For representatives of the Catholic faith, this coefficient is five times lower. Lombroso also believed that it was a genetic predisposition, in contrast to education, is a factor of genius. The biological theory of Lombroso is confirmed by some arguments that the scientist leads. For example, he points to the fact that 8 generations of music were played in the Bach family, and 57 people enjoyed popularity in this field.