Forensic Psychology Flashcards
What is the Top down approach?
The top down approach was develop in America in the 19070’s by the FBI. They used data from crime scenes alongside interviews with Americas biggest serial killers (Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, etc). This data was then compiled to make offender profiles (organised / disorganised) which are then applied to new crime scenes to give an insight to what the criminal is like
Top down approach AO3
Too simple - offenders are likely to be a mix of both offender profiles
No wider use - these profiles only apply to cases regarding sexually motivated serial killings
Alison et al (2002) - questioned if the approach lacked temporal validity as it is out of date when applied to the mindset of modern criminals
What is the bottom up approach?
Created in the UK by David Canter, the bottom up approach uses evidence from the crime scene to make educated assumptions about the criminals height, size, motive, etc. This approach was used by Canter in 1990 to catch the John Duffy, the serial rapist and killer who was dubbed the “railway rapist”
Bottom up approach AO3
Wider application - can be used for crimes of all type and nature
Police must not rely on the profile - it is an assumption after all
What is investigative psychology?
When the bottom up approach is used alongside a set of large computer databases which provide information relevant to the evidence found at the crime scene. In order to create a more accurate offender profile
Investigative psychology AO3
Reliable - the same evidence in separate cases will provide the same profile as the data base will always be subjective and provide the same assumptions for the same data
Canter and Heritage (1990) - used the SSA database to prove there were multiple common patterns in sexual assault cases
What is geographical profiling?
Geographical profiling uses circle theory, which was developed by David Canter in 1993. Circle theory can provide a good estimate to where the offender lives based off the locations of their previous crimes
Geographical profiling AO3
- Only works for offenders who are marauders, (commit crimes near their home) not commuters (travel to an area away from their home to commit crime)
- The results provided are not fully precise
- Lundrigan and Carter (2001) - used circle theory to estimate the homes of 120 previously convicted murderers. They were correct every time
What was Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality?
Eysenck believed that criminality originates from an innate personality type. He believed that the criminal personality made someone psychotic, neurotic and extraverted
Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality AO3
Eysenck’s prison study - 2070 prisoners, and 2422 non-prisoners were tested for being psychotic, neurotic and extraverted. All of the prisoners showed higher levels of all three characteristics than the control group
Holanchock - questioned if Eysenck was culturally biased. Holanchock found that when the prison study was redone, Black and Hispanic prisoners were much less extraverted than the non-criminal control group
Farrington - redid the prison study, found that criminals were only more psychotic than the control group were
What is the differential association hypothesis?
That people learn criminal values from other criminals. Either criminal parents, friends, or other inmates if they become imprisoned. People who are surrounded by other criminals are more likely to become a criminal themselves
Differential association hypothesis AO3
Inclusive - explains how crime occurs in all races, genders, etc
Non-scientific - impossible to test or disprove this theory
What is the Psychodynamic criminality theory?
An efficient Superego will allow a person to control their desires and will not become a criminal. An overactive Id can also lead to criminality
What did Blackburn argue caused a deficient Superego?
weak superego (is overpowered by the Id) - caused by an absent same sex parent
deviant superego (does nothing to prevent the Id) - caused by internalising the actions of a criminal parent
overly-harsh superego (feels a need to be punished) - caused by an overly harsh super ego
Psychodynamic criminality theory AO3
- Derived from Freud’s psychodynamic theory. Which is a blatantly sexist approach. However, male prisoners do significantly outnumber female prisoners
- There is little evidence to support this theory as it is virtually impossible to test or disprove
- The idea of an overly-harsh superego is stupid. Criminals do not commit crimes due to a desire to be caught and punished
