Abnormal psychology and criminal behaviour Flashcards
Psychopathy:
What are the two types of primary psychopaths?
Criminal psychopath: meets criteria
Subclinical psychopath: (successful) doesn’t engage in criminal activity
Psychopathy:
What are primary psychopaths?
possess: biological, cognitive, and emotional differences from the general criminal population
Not all are criminal: those who are not maybe CEO’s, politicians
Label: individuals who meet the cut-off score on the psychopathy test
Psychopathy:
The testing instrument PCL-R (Not in DSM-5, psychopathy checklist revised), how do they test?
Scoring: 0= absent, 1= inconsistent, 2= consistently present (scores range from 0-40)
Cut off: 30 or above, psychopath 25-33 often used
Below 21: Non- psychopath
In-between: psychopathic traits
Psychopathy:
Who uses the PCL-R and what info do they gather?
Used by trained pros
Info gathered from: self-report (2.5h interview), interviews with relatives, observations (body language), court and arrest records
Hare’s questionnaire(diagnosis), can only be used on individuals 25years +, Factor 1: Personality aggressive narcissism
Factor 1: Lack of remorse: they may pretend they do, they try to justify, Shallow affect: don’t feel a range of emotions, neutral, know how to fake it
Psychopathy:
What are other traits of psychopaths?
They are completely self-involved
They do not experience empathy
Mimic traits and behaviors that they observe to be preferred by their victims
No loyalty to any person, group, organization
Psychopathy:
Why is the testing instrument used?
risk-assessment for offenders: aggravating factor in sentencing, due to high recidivism of psychopaths
Universal measurement promotes research and discourse between mental health professionals
Cross culturally validated
Psychopathy:
Case example: Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr. “the great imposter”
Motive: power
Psych uni prof
becomes lawyer
he reads about dr.cyr who is a surgeon
he gets hired as a surgeon for the military (Navy) Korean war
16 soldiers wounded, he saves them all
then faked his death
Psychopathy:
Differences between a psychopath and a sociopath
Psychopath: must lack remorse, calculated (most of the time), shallow emotions, pleasant exterior (deceptive though), and instrumental aggression, psychopathy focuses on emotional behavior
Sociopath: may lack remorse, impulsive (most of the time), emotional: irritable and angry, constantly in conflict with society, reactive aggression, APD is focused on behavior
Psychopathy:
Are all psychopaths sociopaths?
Yes, goes from narcissism, sociopath to psychopaths
Psychopathy:
Why is Kuklinski, not a psychopath?
Shows remorse/guilt/empathy, regrets some of his crimes, and loyalty: loves his family
Psychopathy:
Female psychopaths, characteristics to diagnose
Deception/manipulation, relational aggression (jealousy, self-harm), use of sexuality to obtain what they want, more likely to have co-morbid disorders, not overly as grandiose as males
Psychopathy:
PCL-R: Arias (6)
GLSPMS
Grandiosity: “I didn’t know you were a hater”
Lack of remorse: Does not apologize for murder
Shallow affect: appears calm, no emotion
Pathological liar: lies about Travis
Manipulation: pretends to care about her family
Superficial charm: small talk w/reporter
Psychopathy:
PCL-R: Dennis Radar (serial killer)
Shallow affect: shows no emotion (smiles)
Lack of empathy: saying that the victim was “a little upset”
Lack of remorse: never apologizes
Superficial charm: polite
Grandiosity: says he’s a serial killer (proud of it)
Psychopathy:
What is the “low fear hypothesis”
The hypothesis states that a psychopath does not experience sufficient fear to promote conditioning or avoidance of learning
Psychopathy:
What is the amygdala responsible for and how does it relate to psychopaths?
Amygdala: fear, anger, disgust, etc.
The psychopath has a smaller amygdala (25% less), they can’t experience fear
Psychopathy:
How is the pre-frontal cortex in psychopaths and sociopaths?
Not fully functional, very impulsive, emotional breaks of the brain, screens messages from the amygdala, impulse control, mood modulating
Sociopath amygdala shuts down due to abuse
Psychopathy:
Emotion processing tasks, picture test and word test, explain
Picture test: 2 neutral pics -> no reaction in the amygdala in either group, 3rd pic –> bloody ankle reaction in non-psych, no reaction in psych
Word test: showing them words and amygdala reacts to emotional words in non-psych
Psychopathy:
What are some other emotion processing tasks?
Startle reflex (lacks): others have it
Yawning: especially contagious with people you share an emotional connection with
Interpreting facial and vocal expressions: cant detect sad, mad, disgust on people’s faces
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
Peripartum mood disorders on a continuum
“Baby-blues then post-partum depression then PPP
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
What are some stigmas associated with motherhood?
work/life balance, “perfect mom” propagated by social media, parenting choices, age: over 35 is considered: advanced maternal age, body image: a lot of pressure on moms to lose belly weight, mental health
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
How common are these disorders?
50% to 80% of women experience “baby blues” within the first two weeks
12% to 15% experience PPD
0.1% to 0.2% experience peripartum psychosis (PPP), first 4 weeks following delivery
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
What are the postpartum blues characteristics?
Mild mood swings: irritability, tearfulness, crying spells, anxiety, decreased concentration, insomnia
Occur within 2-3 days of delivery
Symptoms peak on 4th or 5th postpartum day
Symptoms resolve within 2 weeks
Symptoms do not interfere with caring for the newborn
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
What are the causes of PPD? (4)
Previous MDD episodes, hormonal changes, traumatic delivery, situational stressors (financial problems, marital conflict)
Mood Disorders II PPD & PPP:
What is infanticide?
Occurs when a female person causes the death of her newly-born child while she is suffering under effects of depression or mental disturbance from the effects of childbirth or lactation
Grooming and DSM-5 dx of Pedophilia:
What is sexual grooming?
Sexual grooming is a deliberate process involving manipulation tactics where an adult builds trust with a child to exploit them sexually
Grooming and DSM-5 dx of Pedophilia:
What are the grooming steps: 1-6?
Step 1: target victim –> look for vulnerability, low self-esteem
Step 2: gain trust –> love bomb victim with attention, 1on1, befriend parents, touch child in front of other adults (hug/tickle)
Step 3: Fill a need –> housing, friendship, money
Step 4: Isolate child –> use stage 2 against you, make you believe they are the only ones who care for you
Step 5: Sexually exploit –> normalizes inappropriate content/touch
Step 6: Maintain control –> use guilt, blackmail
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What are the two types of pedophiles?
Exclusive type: only attracted to children
Nonexclusive type: attracted to children and to age-appropriate people
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is a predatory pedophile?
Someone who acts on their sexual urges
Grooming and Pedophilia:
Case application: Dan
Dan, 28 years old
Has sexual fantasies involving 8-year-old children dating back to late teen years
Past 2 months, he has been visiting parks with the intent of inappropriately touching young children
Dan has never been interested in adult relationships
Grooming and Pedophilia:
Who is Larry Nassar?
US national gymnastics doctor, sexually abused 265 girls
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is Law: sexual interference
Every person who sexually touches, directly and indirectly with part of a body or object, under the age of 16years
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is the sentence for sexual interference?
Min: 1 year
Max: 14 years
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What are the two exceptions of sexual interference?
1: 12-13 years old with someone less than 2 years older
#2: 14-16 years old with someone less than 5 years older
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What defense could be used in sexual interference?
Mistake of age: only works if the defendant can prove reasonable steps were taken to find out the age
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What are the exemptions to the previous laws?
Sexual exploitation: youth under the age of 18 could not give consent with anyone who is in authority over them (coach, doctor, teacher
Consent culture and children: 1. bodily autonomy: children decide how to physically interact with adults, 2. Naming body parts: takes away shame = reduced, predators usually stay away
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What are the pedophile’s cognitive distortions
Pedophiles believe that children benefit from sexual contact, initiate sexual contact, and derive pleasure (thinks child enjoys it)
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is Megan’s Law?
Sex offenders released from prison must be: registered and community notified (1996)
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What are the Megan’s Laws Tiers?
Tier 1 (low risk): law enforcement only
Tier 2 (moderate): law enforcement and schools, daycares, and registered agencies
Tier 3 (high risk): Tiers 1 and 2 plus the general public
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is Canada’s Christophers Law?
Database for sex criminals, only accessible by law enforcement (RCMP) not public
Grooming and Pedophilia:
Sexual offenders against adults, assault laws, levels 1-3
Level 1: Harms sexual integrity of victim, from unwanted touching to unwanted intercourse: min: none, max: 10 years
Level 2: with a weapon or causing bodily harm, min: non without weapon, 4 years with, max: 14 years
Level 3: aggravated sexual assault, victim is seriously wounded or at risk of death: min: same as level 2, max: life sentence
Grooming and Pedophilia:
What is Canada’s rape shield laws?
You cannot use victims sexual history against them
