FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
What are the 4 Explanations Of Offfending
- Psychological
- Cognitive
- Differential Association Thoery
- psychodynamic
What is Offender Profilling
used to predict Characteristics or behaviour of unknown criminals
What are the 2 types of Approaches
- The top down approach
- The bottom-up approach
What is the Top down approach
Uses Evidence at the Crime Scene to develop a profile of the likely criminal
When is the Top-down approach used
Violent crimes such as murder
What are the 7 decision making tools
- Murder type
- Primary intent
- Vicitm Risk
- Offender Risk
- Escalation
- Time Factors
- Location Factors
How is the Murder type Considered
- is it an isolated murder
- is ti a serial killer, spree killer or mass muder
How is the Primary Intent Considered
was is deliberate or pre-meditated murder
How is the Victim Risk Considered
-How risky is it to kill someone e.g., children, prossies as they put up little resistance
How is the offender Risk considered
Risk they took e.g. was it broad daylight= high risk= clue to thier personality type
How is escalation Considered
From previosu crimes They use clues to predict nect attack
How are time Factors considered
Time of day is it outside working hours insight whether their unemployed
How are Location Factors Considered
The Location Of the murders Geographocal clues such as wether they can drive or not
From the 7 tools What will they belive the offender to be
Organsied
Disorganised
What are 2 Crticisms of Evaluation of the top-down approach
- Each crime scene and crime is unique many variables to consider.E.g., can slow down process of profilling= Suggest typological definition can be difficult to apply.
- Criticised for only having 2 categories of criminals. E.g., Organised or Diorganised.=Too Restrictive and can make predictions about another characteristcs.
What is a Counter Crticisms of Evaluation of the top-down approach
-Seen to be effective. Arthur Shawcross murdered 11 prossies after being released from prison The profilling was accurate.= Cases that have been aided by top-down approach
What is the Bottom-up Approach
Builds up a picture of teh potential criminal from facts and figures collated from previous crimes of the same type.
What is Investigative psychology
framework for the integration of a diverse range of aspects of psychology into all areas of criminal and civil investigation
What is Geographical Profiling
used to make inferences about where an offender is likely to live
Who developed Investigative Psychology
David Canter
What are the 5 assumptions of IP
- Interpersonal Coherence
- Time and Place
- Criminal Characteristics
- Criminal Career
- Forensic Awareness
What is Interpersonal Coherence
Consistency between the way offenders interact with their victims and with others in their everyday lives
What Are criticisms of the Evaluation Of the bottom-up Approach
-Unlike top-down approach Geographical Approach Geographicla Profiling can be used with a variety of crimes = Can be widely applied across different types of crimes not just murder and rape.
What Are counter criticisms of the Evaluation Of the bottom-up Approach
-This Technique Relies on statistical information form previous crimes which is not easy to gather= If data or information is incomplete it is unreliable
What is the Psychological Explanation of Offending
Eysencks Theory of the criminal personality
What is Eysencks theory of the Criminal Personality
suggests that personality is biologically based and that personality traits that include the 3 dimensions
What is Eysencks 3 dimensions
- introversion vs. extroversion
- neuroticism vs. stability
- psychoticism vs Normality
What are some traits of an Extravert
- Sociable
- Impulsive
- risk takers
What are some traits of an Introvert
- cautious
- happy in own company
What are some traits of a Neutotic
- Extravert+unstbale
- Nervous
- Obsessivness
What are some traits of Psychoticism
- Lack of guilt
- Lack of Conscious
- Lack of Empathy
What are 2 limitations Of Eysencks theory of the criminal Personality
- Research findings do not clearly support. E.g., studies suggested offenders score higher on psychoticismand neuroticism. T.S.Tconnto be considered a complete explanation of offending behaviour.
- Original sample that he used to develop his theory. E.g., did not cover an adequate range of poeple. T.S.T thoery lacks population validity
What is a Strength Of Eysencks theory of the criminal Personality
-Difference in research findings could be due to type of crime measured. E.g., Extraverts more likely that riase adrenaline. T.S.T the Claim that research is unclear about role of extraversion as a personality trait is not valid.
What are the 2 cognitive explanations of offending Behaviour
- Level of moral Reasoning
- Cognitive Distortions
What is Level of Moral Reasoning
Refers to process by which an individual draws upon thier own value system to detemine wether an action is right or wrong.
which 2 psychologists did Research ino Level of Moral Reasoning
- Palmer 2003
- Kenny et al 2007
What was Palmers 2003 Aim
Looked at association between Moral development and crime
What did Palmer 2003 find
Specific Values are associated and clear relationship
What was Kennys et al 2007 research
Compared moral Reasoning in juvinile sex and non-sex offender
What Did Kennys et al 2007 find
Moral Reasonign Varies by context.
What is a limitations of Level of moral Reasoning as an explanation for offending Behaviour
-Built around research ehich used a dilema scenario. E.g., Participants sya they will do when faced with a hypothetical Dilema, compared what they will do IRL. T.S.T= Lacking Predictive Validity.
What is a Strength of Level of moral Reasoning as an explanation for offending Behaviour
-Kohlbergs claim that morality develops is supported by Research. E.g., walker Showed morla development over a period of time. T.S.T Kohlbergs claim tha moral Development in a case of maturation is Externally valid.
What are Cognitive Distortions
Faulty, biased and irrational ways of thinking that mean we perceive ourselves.
What is Hostile Attribution Bias
A cognition style making the assumption that other ppls actions are in ways negative reaction to the self
What is Minimalisation
Serves to downplay bahviour, offender tries to atempt to rationalise their Behaviour
Whcih 2 psychologists did Research into Cognitive Distortions
- Hutchinson et al 1993 HAB
- Kennedy et al 1992 ROM
what was the procedure of Hutchinson et al research
Men were shown senarios of difficult marital situations
What did Hutchinson et al find
Men who had a record of DV were more likely to perscieve the female as in the wrong
What did Kennedy et al 1992 find
- Sex offenders use minimalisation to downplay thier crimes
- Offenders blamed 1/3 victims
- 1/4 denied any involvement
What are 2 Limitations Of Cognitive distortions as an explanation for offending behaviour
- Criticised for being descriptive. E.g., Theory describes the criminal it doesnt explain it. T.S.T this thoery is an incomplete explanation and more research is needed.
- Hostile Attribution bias cannot be used to explain all offending behaviour. E.g., can explain impulsive aggression cannot explain planned aggressive acts. T.S.T considered as a factor in offending bahviour than a complete explanation.
What are 2 Strengths Of Cognitive distortions as an explanation for offending behaviour
- Research to support link between HAB and Offending behaviour. E.g., research indicated a precursor of aggressive behaviour in children and adults leads to criminal behaviour. High in internal Validity.
- Cognitive Distortions led to pratical applications. E.g., Rehab of sex offenders used CBT encourages them to face up to their actions and adopt less distorted view. Therefore research had played important role in lives of offenders and victims.
What is the Differential Association Theory
Explains how people learn to become criminal from their environment and through their interactions with others
Who came up with the Differential Association Theory
Sutherland 1939
How is Criminal Behaviour learned
Direct and indirect Operant Conditioning
Which 2 psychologists did research into DAT
- Matsueda 1988
- Alarid et al 2000
What are the 9 Principles for DAT
- Criminal Behaviour is learned
- Learned with other poeple in a process of communication
- Criminal behaviour occurs wihtin intimate personal groups
- Learned techniques how to commit crime and motives
- Direction of motives learned from definiton from law
- Person becomes Delinquet due to favourable violation of norms
- Learning through association
- Dont explain why criminal behaviour shows norms and values
What are 2 limitations of DAT as an explanation of Offending bahviour
- Too general. E.g., similar with SLT but has non of the detail of the cognitive processes that might underpin criminal behaviour. T.S.T not considered a comprehensive explanations of offending behaviour.
- DAT does not explain all crimes. E.g., Embezzlement are individualistic. one off crimes are not explained by this thoery. T.S.T interactionist approach combined with another approach is needed.
What is a Strength of DAT as an explanation of Offending bahviour
DAT can explain prevalence of crimes in certain areas. E.g., Areas of high crime becomes Endemic. T.S.T the DAT can be useful when targeting intervention programmes and high in external validity.
What are the 3 psychodynamic Explanations of offending behaviour
- Role of the super ego
- Defence mechanisms
- material deprivation hypothesis
What is the role of the super ego in offending behaviour
it embodies our conscience and sense of right and wrong.
What are defence mechanisms
psychological tactics of the unconscious mind that protect us from fear, unpleasant or overwhelming thoughts and feelings
What is a weakness of the psychodynamic explanations of offending behaviour
Shortage of Empirical research to support the thoery. E.g., Concpets by freud on which explanations are based on abstract= difficult to test theory is flawed.
What is a Strength of the psychodynamic explanations of offending behaviour
Research to support E.g, Bolwbys found that children who had disruption had greater chance of becoming dilinquet. T.S.T MDH have been supported.
