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Pschology paper 3 > Forensic psychology > Flashcards

Forensic psychology Flashcards

1
Q

What is offender profiling?

A

A tool to help investigators accurately predict likely offenders.

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2
Q

Describe an organised offender.

A

Use of planning, targeted (types of victims), socially and sexually competent, higher IQ.

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3
Q

Describe a disorganised offender.

A

No planning, opportunity killing, socially and sexually incompetent and low IQ.

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4
Q

What are the 4 steps of an FBI profile?

A
  1. Data assimilation - profiler reviews the evidence
  2. Crime scene classification
    organised/disorganised
  3. Crime reconstruction - hypotheses in terms of sequence of events, behaviour of victim etc.
  4. Profile generation - hypotheses related to likely offender.
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5
Q

evaluate the top down approach?

A

strength -Support for distinct organised category of offender. Canter, 100 US murders by different serial killers. Investigated whether torture, concealing of body took place. key component of FBI typology high validity.

strength - can be adapted to other crimes like burglary. critics said can only apply to a few but Meketa said had recently been applied to burglary, 85% roses in solved cases in 3 US states. two new categories interpersonal and opportunistic. wider application than assumed

limitation - evidence,FBI profiling developed using interviews with 36 murderers in US. 24 organist 12 dis, Canter et al - poor sample no random or large sample or diff offenders, not standardised. no scientific basis

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6
Q

What is the top down approach?

A

use pre established typology and work down to lover levels in order to assign offenders to one of two categories based on witness account and crime scene evidence.

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7
Q

what is interpersonal coherence?

A

way an offender behaves at a crime scene may be reflected in every day behaviours

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8
Q

what is the bottom up approach?

A

evidence from crime scene used to develop hypotheses about characteristics, motivations and social backgrounds of an offender

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9
Q

what is investigative psychology?

A

a form of bottom up approach that matched details from crime scene with statistical analysis of typical offender behaviour patterns based on psychological theory.

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10
Q

what is geographical profiling?

A

form of bottom up approach that’s based upon spatial consistency and that an offenders operational base or future offences are revealed by the location of their previous crimes

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11
Q

what is Canters circle theory?

A

pattern of offending forms a circle around the offenders home base

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12
Q

what are the two types of offender in geographical profiling?

A

marauder - close to home
commuter - far from home

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13
Q

evaluate the bottom up approach

A

strength - evidence, Canter and Heritage 66 sexual assault cases. small space analysis used ( identifies correlations across the co occurrence of cases). several behaviours common , can help establish whether two or more offences committed by same person. people consistent in behaviour.

strength - support, Lundrigan and Canter, 120 murder cases, smallest space analysis found consistency in behaviour. each body disposal site created centre of gravity . offenders base in centre of pattern. more noticeable in marauders. geography can be used to identify offender

limitation - gp may not be sufficient alone, reliant on quality of data police can provide. 75% crimes not reported (dark figure). may not always lead to successful capture

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14
Q

what is atavistic form?
(Lombroso)

A

biological approach to offending that says offenders are a subspecies and distinguishable by facial and cranial features

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15
Q

give examples of atavistic features

A

prominent and strong jaw
high cheekbones
dark skin
large nose

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16
Q

what features were murderers said to have?

A

bloodshot eyes, curly hair and long ears

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17
Q

how did Lombroso conduct his research?

A

examines facial and cranial features of Italian convicts living and dead. 383 dead convicts 3839 living. 49% criminal acts committed by atavistic people

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18
Q

evaluate atavistic form

A

strength - changes face of study of crime, father of modern crim, pushed away from moralistic discourse to a more scientific method. heralded beginning of offender profiling. Lombroso major contribution

limitation - evidence contradicts, Goring, 3000 offenders 3000 non, no evidence they are distinct looking group. unlikely subspecies

limitation - poor research methods, poorly controlled, didn’t compare with control group. confounding variables likely. doesn’t meet scientific standards

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19
Q

what did Christiansen find in twin studies?

A

concordance rates for offender behaviour of 35% mz males, 13% dz.

20
Q

what did Crowe find about genetics?

A

adopted children whose bio mother hd crim record 50% risk of crim record before 18. adopted without crim bio mother only 5%

21
Q

what did Tiihonen find about candidate genes?

A

two genes MAOA gene that regulates serotonin and linked to aggressive behaviour. CDH13 gene linked to substance abuse and ADHD. about 5-10% of all severe violent crimes in Finland attributable to genes

22
Q

what is ADP

A

antisocial personality disorder - reduced emotional responses, lack of empathy.

23
Q

what did Raine find about the prefrontal cortex?

A

brain imaging studies, individuals with APD reduced activity in prefrontal cortex which regulates emotional behaviour. 11% reduction of volume in grey matter in prefrontal cortex of APD

24
Q

what did keysers say about mirror neurons?

A

only when pps asked to empathise with film could they show reaction. APD individuals not totally without empathy but may have neural switch.

25
Q

evaluate genetic explanations

A

limitation- twin studies assumption of equal environments, assumed similar environments. mz look identical so people treat similar which can affect behaviour. so higher mz could be because of how treated.

strength - support for diathesis stress model, 13000 Danish adoptees. Mednick et al, neither adoptive of bio parents crim 13.5% likely, 20% when either, 24.5% both. genetic inheritance play important role but environment influence important

26
Q

evaluate neural explanations

A

strength - support for frontal lobe, Kandel and Freed, frontal lobe damage and APD, damage showed impulsive behaviour and inability to learn from mistakes.

limitation - link between neural diff and APD complex, Farrington et al, men high on APD experienced various childhood factors which could have caused. reduced activity in frontal lobe can be due to trauma.

27
Q

what three personalities did Eysenck find?

A

extravert - under active nervous system so seek excitement and don’t condition easily

neurotic - high level of reactivity in sympathetic nervous system and respond quickly to fight/flight. nervous, jumpy and hard to predict.

psychotic - higher levels of testosterone

28
Q

what is a criminal personality?

A

all three types (neurotic extravert and psychotic)

29
Q

what did Eysenck say about the role of socialisation?

A

offending behaviour selfish and immature, concerned with immediate gratification. socialisation teaches to delay gratification. High E and N hard to condition.

30
Q

how does Eysenck measure criminal personality?

A

EPQ - Eysenck personality disorder

31
Q

evaluate Eysencks theory

A

strength - support for crim personality, Eysenck, 2070 prisoners scores to 2422 controls. prisoners higher scores.

limitation - not all offences can be explained by personal traits, Moffitt, distinction between adolescence crim and adulthood. personality traits poor predictor. behaviour determined by interaction of personality and environment instead.

limitation- cultural factors ignored, Bartol and Holanchock, hispanic and african offenders, less extravert. ungeneralisable

32
Q

what are the levels of moral reasoning?
(Kohlberg)

A

pre conventional -
stage 1 = punishment orientation
stage 2 = personal gain
conventional -
stage 3 = good boy or girl (approval)
stage 4 = maintain social order
post conventional -
stage 5 = morality of others
stage 6 = morality of conscience

33
Q

what is a criminals level of reasoning?

A

preconventional - stage 1 and 2, need to avoid punishment and gain rewards, childlike

34
Q

evaluate moral reasoning
(Kohlberg)

A

strength - support, Palmer and Hollin, 332 non offenders 126 offenders, 11 moral dilemma questions. offender group less mature moral reasoning.

limitation - depends on offence, Thornton and Reid, financial gain crimes pre conventional level more than impulsive crimes like assault. associated with crimes that believe good chance of avoiding permanent

35
Q

what are cognitive distortions?

A

faulty, biased and irrational ways of thinking that mean we perceive ourselves inaccurately

36
Q

what are the two examples of cognitive distortions?

A

hostile attribution bias - more likely to see people as angry, Schonenberg and Jusyte 55 violent offenders
apparent in childhood Frame and Dodge

minimalisation - downplaying significance of behaviour, Barbaree 26 rapists, 54% denied was offence, 40% minimised harm

37
Q

what two psychologists studied hostile attribution bias?

A

Schonenberg and Justye
Dodge and Frame (children)

38
Q

evaluate cognitive distortions

A

strength - application to therapy, CBT challenge irrational thinking, face up to what done. reduced minimalisation led to less chance of reoffending. practical value

limitation - level of distortion depends on crime, Howitt and Sheldon, questionnaire from sexual offenders. non contact used more cognitive distortions than sex offenders contrary to hypothesis.

39
Q

what is the differential association theory?

A

proposed that through interaction with others individuals learn values attitudes and motives for offending behaviour

40
Q

who studied differential association theory?

A

Sutherland

41
Q

how does differential association theory say you can predict crime?

A

frequency, intensity and duration of exposure to deviant and non deviant norms and values

42
Q

what two factors does offending arise from in differential association theory?

A

learning attitudes eg pro come and anti crime and learning techniques

43
Q

evaluate the differential association theory

A

strength - changed focus for offending explanations, away from biological or immorality theories. draw attention to social circumstances and environments. more realistic solution instead of eugenics or punishment

strength - can account for offending in all sectors of society. interested in wcc qnd how mc commit crime who share deviant norms and values. not just wc

limitation - difficult to tests predictions, cannot be testable as can’t be operationalised. built on assumption that behaviour will occur is more pro crime values. cannot measure these. lack scientific credibilitu

44
Q

what did Blackburn say the three types of inadequate superego are?

A

weak - lack of same gender parent in phallic stage, no identification

deviant - immoral or deviant values

overharsh - firm rules from parent

45
Q

what did Bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation have to do with psychodynamic explanations?

A

affectionless psychopaths in 44 thieves study, 12 prolonged separation from mother in infancy

46
Q

evaluate the psychodynamic approach

A

strength - link between offending and superego, Goreta, offenders unconscious guilt due to over harsh superego.

limitation - gender biased, castration anxiety etc, suggests women weaker superego but more men criminals. men 20x more women in prison in uk. Hoffman, little difference, little girls actually more moral usually.

limitation - bowlbys theory based on mat dep and offending. Lewis, poor predictor, not casual relationship. many other reasons eg. poverty. may be one of reasons but not only

Pschology paper 3 (4 decks)

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