Forensic Psychology : L6 Cognitive Explanations

Question 1

Moral Reasoning

Answer 1

• Kohlberg (1973) proposed that the quality of people’s judgments of right and wrong can be summarised by a stage theory of moral development.
• Offenders are more likely to have their moral reasoning classified at the pre-conventional level. This means that a person is punishment and reward orientated
• This is immature reasoning which typically lasts from ages 3-7. Teenagers and adults who still reason in this way may commit crime if they can get away with it and/or gain rewards

Question 2

Three stages of Moral Development

Answer 2

1 - Pre-conventional : Individual shows concern for self interest and external rewards and punishments
2 - Conventional : Individual does what is expected of them by others
3 - Post-conventional : Individuals develop more autonomous decision making based on moral principles

Question 3

(+) Evaluation of Moral Reasoning

Answer 3

+ Palmer and Hollin (1998) compared moral reasoning between 210 female non-offenders, 122 male non-offenders and 126 convicted offenders using 11 moral
dilemmas, such as not taking things that belong to others. The offenders showed less mature moral reasoning than the non offenders.

Question 4

(-) Evaluation of Moral Reasoning

Answer 4

• The level of moral reasoning may depend on the type of offence. Thornton and Reid (1982) found that individuals who committed crimes for financial gain, such as robbery, were more likely to show pre-conventional reasoning than those convicted of impulsive crimes (such as assault), where no reasoning was evident.

Question 5

What are cognitive distortions?

Answer 5

An offender’s biased/dysfunctional thinking about their offence helps them legitimise their behaviour and maintain a positive self-image.

Question 6

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 6

• When offender’s misinterprete social cues and justify
  their actions to themselves by attributing the cause of their offence to their victim
• This may misread non-aggressive cues as aggressive and
  this may trigger a disproportionate, often violent, response

Question 7

What is Minimalisation?

Answer 7

• When offenders justify their offence to themselves by playing down the significance of their actions
• Bias act to reduce an offender’s feeling of
  guilt.

Question 8

(+) Evaluation of Cognitive Distortions

Answer 8

+ Understanding the nature of cognitive distortions has proven beneficial in the treatment of criminal behaviour. The dominant approach in the rehabilitation of sex offenders is cognitive behavioural therapy. This encourages offenders to ‘face up’ to what they have done and establish a less distorted view of their actions. A reduced incidence of cognitive distortions in therapy is highly correlated with a reduced risk of offending.

Question 9

(-) Evaluation of Cognitive Distortions

Answer 9

• Hostile attribution bias can explain reactive aggressive behaviour better than pre-medicated and planned aggression.
• Minimalisation does not necessarily explain the initial cause of the offending.
• Whilst the cognitive approach explains thinking, it cannot account for the source of these thoughts. Are people born with cognitive distortions (nature) or are they the result of trauma (nurture).
• Cognitive distortions cannot be observed or measured. Psychologists have to rely on self-report or their own inferences to determine what someone is thinking, therefore lacking objectivity.