classic study - Raine et al

Question 1

what is the aim of raine

Answer 1

investigte brain activity in murderers compared to non muderers using PET scans

Question 2

what was the method of raine

Answer 2

41 ppts charges of murder who pleaded not guilty for reasons of insanity
control group matched on gender and age
6 schizophrienics in each group
all screened on general health
no medication 2 weeks before
10 min practice task before radioactive glucose tracter
completed performance task for 32 min to increase in prefrontal cortex, focused on blured numbers

Question 3

what are the results of raine

Answer 3

asymertrical activity in amygdala and temporal lob
lower activity in corpus callosum
higher activity in right thalamus
less activity in prefrontal cortex 1.2 in left of murderes, 1.25 left of non muderes

Question 4

what conclusions did raine make

Answer 4

murders pleading not guilty for reasons of insanity have different functioning
violence has biological causes

Question 5

evaluate raine

Answer 5

• cant generalise findings of murderes to general population, pleaded not guilty for reasons of insanity
  + PET scans scientidic, repeated, reliable
  + used in court in the conviction of muderers who pleaded not gulity for reasons of insanity, violence has biological cause
• lack ecological validity, PET scans unfamiliar to population
• lack task validity blurred numbers
  + matched pairs, reduce individual differences
• unethical, taking away medication of people with Sz