Forensics: Psychological explanations

Question 1

What are the psychological explanations for crime:

Answer 1

• Eyesnecks theory
• Cognitive explanations
• Differential association theory
• Psychodynamic explanations
• Custodial sentencing

Question 2

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

- General personality theory

Answer 2

Introverson/ extraversion (E)
neuroticism/ stability (N)
Psychoticism

Question 3

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

- Biological basis

Answer 3

Personality traits have biological origin
Extraverts have underactive nervous system so constantly seek excitement, engage in dangerous activity
Neurotics tend to be nervous, jumpy, behaviour difficult to predict

Question 4

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

Answer 4

• General Personality theory
• Biological Basis
• The criminal personality
• The role of socialisation
• Measuring the criminal personality

Question 5

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

- The criminal personality

Answer 5

Neurotic-Extravert

Score highly on measure of psychoticism (characterised as cold, unemotional and prone to aggression)

Question 6

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

- The role of socialisation

Answer 6

Criminal behaviour is immature, selfish and concerned with immediate gratification
Socialisation is where children are taught to become more able to delay gratification and more socially oriented
Eyesneck believes those with high E and N scores where difficult to condition
More likely to act antisocially

Question 7

Outline Eyesnecks theory to explain crime:

- Measuring the criminal personality

Answer 7

Eyesneck personality Inventory (EPI)
Psychological test to measure N and E
Later scale introduced to measure psychoticism

Question 8

Outline The cognitive approach to explaining crime:

Answer 8

• Level of moral reasoning
• Kohlberg’s model of criminality
• Cognitive distortions

Question 9

Outline The cognitive approach to explaining crime:

- Level of moral reasoning

Answer 9

criminals have a lower level of moral reasoning

support from violent and non-violent youths

Question 10

Outline The cognitive approach to explaining crime:

- Kohlberg’s model of criminality

Answer 10

Level 1: Preconvenional morality (rules are obeyed to avoid punishment, rules are obeyed for personal gain)
Level 2: Conventional morality (rules obeyed for approval, rules obeyed to maintain social order)
Level 3: Postconventional morality (rules challenged if infringe on rights of others, individual establishes own rules)

Criminals fall under level 1

Question 11

Outline The cognitive approach to explaining crime:

- Cognitive distortions

Answer 11

errors or bias in peoples thought processing

1. Hostile attribution bias- misinterpret actions of others, acts aggressively
2. Minimalisation - deny or downplay seriousness of offence

Question 12

Outline Differential Association Theory to explaining crime:

Answer 12

• scientific basis
• crime as a learned behaviour
• pro-criminal attitudes
• learning criminal acts