FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY - psychological explanations: Cognitive

Question 1

define level of moral reasoning.

Answer 1

• moral reasoning refers to the way a person thinks about right and wrong.
• decisions of judgement of right and wrong develop in stages
• higher the stage the more sophisticated the reasoning

Question 2

what are the 3 levels of moral reasoning?

Answer 2

1. Pre- conventional morality
2. Conventional morality
3. Post- conventional morality

Question 3

what is pre- conventional morality?

Answer 3

• need to avoid punishment and gain rewards
• associated with less mature, child-like reasoning ( Chandler 1973)

Question 4

what is conventional mortality?

Answer 4

rules are obeyed for approval and obeyed to maintain social order

Question 5

what is post-conventional morality?

Answer 5

rules are challenged and individuals have a personal set of ethical principals.

Question 6

what is the link between moral reasoning and criminality?

Answer 6

Criminals have low levels of moral reasoning. They don’t even progress from the pre-conventional level.

Question 7

what are cognitive distortions?

Answer 7

• faulty, biased ways of thinking that mean we perceive ourselves, the world or others negatively.

Question 8

explain hostile attribution bias.

Answer 8

The tendency to judge ambiguous situations/actions of others in a negative way.

Question 9

Explain Schonenberg and Justye (2014)

Answer 9

• 55 offenders were presented with images of emotionally ambiguous faces expressions
• when compared to control group = offenders were more likely to perceive images as angry and hostile.

Question 10

explain minimisation?

Answer 10

Denying the seriousness of an offence

Question 11

Explain Barbanee (1991)

Answer 11

• found that among 26 rapists = 54% denied they had committed an offence. 40% minimised the harm they caused.

Question 12

Evaluate levels of moral reasoning.

Answer 12

+ RESEARCH SUPPORT = Palmer + Hollin (1998) = support Kohlberg. Researched convicted offenders + non offenders and compared their moral reasonings using moral dilemma style Qs.
Offender group = less mature moral reasoning
This supports Kohlberg’s prediction

• Kohlberg’s theory may not apply to all types of crime.
  eg Thornton + Reid = those committing financially motivated crimes were more likely to show pre conventional reasoning than those doing assult.

Question 13

Evaluate Cognitive Distortions.

Answer 13

+ RWA = CBT aims to challenge irrational thinking eg. cognitive distortions. Rehabilitation approaches may focus on reducing denial and minimalisation, encouraging offenders to take responsibility for their crimes.

• level of cognitive distortion depends on the type of offence = HOWITT + SHELDON (2007) = found non-contact sex offenders to use more cognitive distortion than contact sex offenders. Therefore cognitive distortion is more complex.