Criminal Profiling

Question 1

Torres et al (2006) - what percentage of professionals endorse criminal profiling?

Answer 1

86%

Question 2

What consensus did people make about the Washington Killers profile and what were they actually like?

Answer 2

Consensus; White, mid 20s, male, worked alone, no military training, no children
Actual: 2 shoots, African American, one have 4 children and soldier, one was 41 another 17

Question 3

What were the key results of Kocisis et al’s (2002) study on criminal profiling

Answer 3

• Chemistry students did consistently better than the professionals
• did better than if given no information at all
• no relationship between experience and accuracy

Question 4

What was Snook et al’s (2008) conclusion of their meta-analysis on criminal profiling?

Answer 4

Its a pseudoscientific technique ie its bullshit

Question 5

Why do people believe in Criminal Profiling?

Answer 5

1. Physicians phallacy
2. Barnum Effect
3. Expertise Heuristic

Question 6

What was Lillenfeld et al’s conclusion from their meta-analysis on projective tests?

Answer 6

Little support for their use and no better than just asking the person a question - ie bullshit

Question 7

What was the result of Burley, Gray and Snowden’s (2019) study on pupil dilation to positive and negative images for psychopaths

Answer 7

For those with high scores in psychopathy, their pupils did not dialate to negative pictures

Question 8

What examples of tests does Chesterman et al (2018) to possibly identify malingering

Answer 8

Structures Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) and Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM)

Question 9

What were the results of Ahlmeyer et al’s (2000) study on levels of disclosure and polygraph tests in male sex offenders?

Answer 9

Level of disclosure increased when they believed they were on a lie detector compared to other measures (Presentence Report and Sexual History Disclosure Form)