Forensic Psychology

Question 1

What is criminal Psychology?

Answer 1

The study of thoughts, feelings, and intentions to criminal behavior.

Question 2

What is criminology?

Answer 2

The study of the causes of crime and way to prevent and/or control it

Question 3

What is forensic psychology?

Answer 3

Specialised area of psychology that applies psychological theory to the legal and criminal justice system.

Question 4

What are the steps of criminal profiling?

Answer 4

1. crime is compared to other similar crimes from the past
2. crime scene is analysed
3. Life of the victim is analysed
4. The motivation of the crime is analysed
5. A description of the possible offender is developed
6. establish a criminals MO (modus operandi)

Question 5

What is modus operandi (MO)?

Answer 5

A criminals usual mode of operating or way of doing something.

Question 6

What are some examples of biological factors for a BPS model?

Answer 6

• Inheritable traits
• Hormones such as testosterone
• Drug and alcohol consumption
• Imbalance of neurotransmitters
• Differences in brain anatomy

Question 7

What are some examples of Psychological factors for a BPS model?

Answer 7

• Aggressiveness
• Controlling and desire for power
• Masochistic
• Feelings of invincibility/ arrogance
• Past experiences and/or trauma
• Relationship with parents

Question 8

What are some examples of Social factors for a BPS model?

Answer 8

• Cultural identity and customs
• Concepts of law
• Childhood raising practices
• Discrimination (racism, etc.)
• Family structure
• Religious beliefs

Question 9

What are the three main types of blood spatter?

Answer 9

Passive spatter, Transfer spatter and Projected spatter

Question 10

What is Passive blood spatter?

Answer 10

Drops, flows and/or pools of blood resulting from gravity.

Question 11

What does a passive blood drop look like on smooth surfaces?

Answer 11

It has smooth edges

Question 12

What does a passive blood drop look like on rough surfaces?

Answer 12

It has rough/ spiny edges

Question 13

What is satellite passive spatter?

Answer 13

Smaller droplets of blood bounce out to the sides of a larger central pool. Like when blood drops into blood.

Question 14

What is saturation or pooling passive spatter?

Answer 14

The victim bleeds from one area for an extended period of time with no movement. typically seen on mattresses, beds and floors.

Question 15

What is transfer spatter?

Answer 15

Occurs when an object that has wet blood on it comes into contact with another object.

Question 16

What is a ‘swipe’ transfer spatter?

Answer 16

Blood that is smeared as you move a bloody source across and unsoiled surface. i.e. Hands prints, footprints, etc.

Question 17

What is a ‘wipe’ transfer spatter?

Answer 17

When an object is dragged through an existing blood stain and removes parts of the blood. i.e. rubbing a cloth through blood to hide the crime.

Question 18

What is projected spatter?

Answer 18

Occurs when force is applied to the source of the blood.

Question 19

What is low projected velocity spatter?

Answer 19

When a low amount of force is applied. i.e. punch, small stab wound. (large droplets)

Question 20

What is a medium velocity projected spatter?

Answer 20

When a moderate amount of force is applied. i.e. hit with blunt weapon, baseball bat. (medium droplets)

Question 21

What is high velocity projected spatter?

Answer 21

When tremendous force is applied. Droplets are so small they are often invisible to naked eye.

Question 22

What is ‘cast off’?

Answer 22

Blood that flies off an object that is in motion. i.e. flung of weapon that is used to make multiple blows.

Question 23

What is psycopathy?

Answer 23

A personality disorder (not mental illness) which features antisocial behaviors, lack of empathy and remorse and a lack of inhibition.

Question 24

What is the warrior gene?

Answer 24

It is a gene that is linked to a genetic trait of limited empathy.

Question 25

What are some possible causes of psychopathy?

Answer 25

• having a convicted parent
• being physically neglected
• low involvement between father/son
• low family income
• coming from a disrupted family
• harsh discipline
• poor treatment by peers/bullying

Question 26

What is the DSM-V?

Answer 26

It is a diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders that lists the symptoms of all mental health issues.

Question 27

Who created the DSM-V?

Answer 27

American Psychiatrists

Question 28

Where is the DSM-V used?

Answer 28

Western Hemisphere

Question 29

What name did psychopathy change to?

Answer 29

Anti-social personality disorder

Question 30

What are 4 criteria to diagnose Anti-social Personality Disorder?

Answer 30

• Repeated law breaking
• Aged at least 18
• Lying and deceitfulness
• Lack of remorse

Question 31

What are 4 criteria to diagnose Narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 31

• Envious of others
• Grandiose view of one’s importance
• Lack of empathy
• Arrogant Behavior/attitudes

Question 32

What is narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 32

A personality disorder where a person has a grandiose view of their abilities and are preoccupied with fantasies of great success.

Question 33

What are 3 parts of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 33

1. Child has an innate ability to form attachment to one main caregiver
2. Child should receive continuous care from this person for the first two years of life
3. If this does not occur, delinquency, aggression, depression and psychopathy are more likely to occur.

Question 34

What is the Macdonald Triad?

Answer 34

A set of 3 factors. If 2 or 3 of these factors are paired together that person is more likely to experience violent tendencies, particularly with relation to serial offense.

Question 35

What is the factors of the Macdonald Triad?

Answer 35

Fire setting, Enuresis (Bed wetting), Torturing animals.

Question 36

What is the Dark Triad?

Answer 36

If a person sources high on all 3 factors of the dark triad they are more likely to commit crimes, and cause social distress.

Question 37

What are the 3 factors of the Dark Triad?

Answer 37

• Narcissism
• Psychopathy
• Machiavellianism (manipulation)

Question 38

What are micro-expressions?

Answer 38

Very fast changes in one’s face to depict their true emotion

Question 39

Who developed the famous experiment on empathy involving eye contact?

Answer 39

Arthur Aaron

Question 40

What does the eye-contact experiment entail?

Answer 40

Strangers were to look into each others eyes in silence for 4 minutes. Which brought out intense emotion.

Question 41

What does eye contact tell us?

Answer 41

Eye contact triggers a sense of self-conciseness in adults. People that hold eye-contact are perceived to be sincere and empathetic whereas people who avert their eyes are perceived as less trustworthy.

Question 42

What is a polygraph test?

Answer 42

A test that measures heartrate, blood pressure, breathing rate and galvanic skin response (sweat).

Question 43

What does a polygraph test compare?

Answer 43

A person’s physiological activity while in a relaxed state compared to when they are asked an emotionally charged question.

Question 44

What are Relevant questions?

Answer 44

Questions that relate to the investigation.

Question 45

What are control questions?

Answer 45

Irrelevant questions that are used to establish a baseline physiological response.

Question 46

What are three traits of Machiavellianism?

Answer 46

1. Manipulation and exploitation of others
2. An absence of morality
3. high level of self-interest

Question 47

Definition of criminal profiling?

Answer 47

Criminal profiling is intended to help investigators to accurately predict and profile the characteristics of unknown criminal subjects or offenders.