Cognitive Explanations

Question 1

What is included in cog explanations?

Answer 1

• Attribution Theory
• Yolchelson and Samenow’s Criminal Personality (1988)
• Gudjonsson (1984)

Question 2

Describe Attribution Theory

Answer 2

• Involves putting blame onto someone/something else
• Attempt at justifying/explaining behaviour
• Internal = behaviour of others (e.g. she did bad because she didn’t revise)
• External = blaming someone else (e.g. It is the teacher’s fault I did bad)

Question 3

Describe Yochelson and Samenow’s Criminal Personality (1988)

Answer 3

• Developed understanding of thinking pattern in order to find a suitable treatment
• Non-offenders = responsible and reasonable thinking patterns
• Offenders = incorrect and wrong thinking patterns
• All criminals have same thought pattern, just to different degrees
• Everyone has freewill; criminals choose to offend§

Question 4

Describe Gudjonsson (1986)

Answer 4

• Blame Attribution Inventory measures in which way the offender attributes blame for crime
• External = blames society, victim, social circumstances
• Guilt-ridden = feel regret and remorse for crimes (common in sex offenders)
• Mental-element = blames mental state e.g. lack of control, mental illness (common in violent offenders