An investigation into criminal behavior and criminal responsibility: Perspectives of different schools and theories in social and behavioral sciences

Considerable research has examined the crucial role of behavior as it has a significant contribution to the material dimension of crime. Therefore, it is essential to investigate behavior from the perspectives of psychology and sociology for shedding light on their interrelationships. Moreover, personality is a complex, multi-dimensional feature of individuals which can substantially influence both individual and social behaviors. In fact, most human behaviors are affected by personality. Overall, personality features, as consistent behavioral patterns in behaviors, emotions, and thoughts, help differentiate between individuals. This descriptive-analytic study examined the role of personality in criminal behavior and criminal responsibility. The results indicated that intentional behavior is different from planned behavior and could not be considered as a crime unless it is overtly displayed.