BIOLOGICAL: Raine Et Al 1997

Question 1

Explain the methodology of Raines study

Answer 1

• quasi experiment (natural IV)
• IV: NGRI or non-NGRI
• DV: brain dysfunction
• matched pairs design and opportunity sampling

Question 2

Experimental group

Answer 2

• 41 people - 39 men, 2 women
• murder or manslaughter in state of California and claiming insanity defence
• mean age of 34.3
• sent to Raine for psych evaluation
• all medication free for 2 weeks prior and urine tested
• 6 schizophrenics

Question 3

Control group

Answer 3

• 41 people - 39 men, 2 women
• same age and sex of murderers
• mean age of 31.7
• 6 schizophrenics
• no history of psychiatry or mental illness nor any physical illness
• medication free

Question 4

Outline the procedure of the experiment

Answer 4

• PET scan used to study active brain of murderers and control group
• involve use of flurodeoxyglucose (FDG), a mildly radioactive glucose tracer
• participants practiced a continuous performance task designed to activate parts of the brain (practise 10m before)
• started and were injected 30 seconds later then scanned 32 min later
• active parts of brain use glucose which enables the researchers to clearly identify regions
• 10 horizontal slices of the brain were recorded using the peel and box technique

Question 5

Explain the differences found between NGRI and non-NGRI

Answer 5

• NGRI show reduced activity in prefrontal cortex, left angular gyrus, corpus collosum, amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus (left hemisphere)
  —> all areas previously linked to violence
• NGRI show increased activity in cerebellum, amygdala, thalamus and hippocampus of the right hemisphere
  — abnormal asymmetry of the brain

Question 6

Explain the similarities in the findings

Answer 6

• no differences in mid brain activity
• both groups performed similarly in the CPT
• ethnicity and head injury did not create any differences
  —> left handedness: 6/41 were left handed and showed less amygdala asymmetry than right handed people, and a higher prefrontal activity making them more vulnerable to violent and criminal behaviour

Question 7

What were the conclusions of Raines study?

Answer 7

• supports prev research on links with brain and aggression
• neural processes are complex and cannot be reduced to single brain mechanisms in causal fashion
• NGRI had signif differences in glucose metabolism
• decreases activity in prefrontal, parietal and colossal regions of the brain as well as abnormal asymmetries may be one of the many predispositions toward violence

Question 8

In his conclusion, what did Raine emphasise?

Answer 8

• findings cannot be used to say violence is determined by biology alone - social, cultural and psychological factors are at play
• data does not say NGRIs are not responsible for their crimes
• PET scans are not a diagnostic tool
• does not establish a causal link
• findings cannot be generalised

Question 9

Method + Procedure Evaluation: Sample bias

Answer 9

• an issue
• sample was murderers who claimed NGRI, and not all violent offenders are murderers. Only 41 people. Not all murderers claim NGRI
• results can’t be generalised
• lacks population validity

Question 10

Methodology + Procedure Evaluation: Natural IV

Answer 10

• a strength
• criminal status already there so it was a quasi experiment
• method allows to conduct experiment where you cannot manipulate the variables yourself
• HOWEVER causal links can be formed and some may interpret findings as biology is the reason for crime
• has internal validity

Question 11

Methodology + Procedure Evaluation: PET scans

Answer 11

• a strength
• study how participants brains processed info
• scientific and objective manner - little room for any bias
• scientific validity

Question 12

Ethics Evaluation: valid consent

Answer 12

• a weakness
• pleaded NGRI so arguably not in the right mind to provide valid and truthful consent
• cannot make an informed choice
• felt pressured by court and idea of prison - no realistic option
  BPS guidelines: competency

Question 13

Ethics Evaluation: risk of harm

Answer 13

• a weakness
• may not understand CPT or procedure which could lower self esteem
• PET scan can cause stress and anxiety
  —> psychological harm
• not usually encountered in everyday life thus unethical
  BPS guidelines : respect

Question 14

Ethics Evaluation: right to withdraw

Answer 14

• a weakness
• felt they couldn’t say no as they are prisoners
• weren’t given RTW before, during or after due to insanity plea
  BPS guidelines: respect

Question 15

Evaluation: social implications

Answer 15

• if research implies murderers are born not made it could have negative consequences for those with similar brain abnormalities
  —> prison without fair trial
• does further emphasise responsibility is not taken from the murderers - brain abnormalities only predisposed, person still has free will and chose to murder
• understanding social/cultural etc factors important to research in crime prevention