hancock et al Flashcards
main topic
psychopaths and their behavioural differences
back ground psychopath def
pathological liars that mimic emotion
aim
examine the language of psychopaths and how it differs to the average person
sampling method
self selected sample
52 male murderers
mean age 28.5
12 psychopaths
38 non psychopaths
all in Canada
method
quasi WITH independant measures design
controls
analysed ID between, crime, age, other factors
interviewers were blind to psychopathic scores = NO INTERVIWER EFFECTS
assessed inter rater reliablitly through 10 random selections and a trained outsider
materials
Hare’s psychopathy checklist 20 criteria
computer analysis on thw whole of how pleasant the language is
wmatrix- computer program that analyses the parts of language ex nouns, adjectives and semantics to compare to instrumental use of language
procedure
divided P into psychopatic and non ( using hares 20 critera and prison diagonis)
P were told they were researching how they recounted their homicide
interviewed in a semi structured method, stepwise method
Q were open and detail was encouraged
interviews were recorded for computer anaylsis.
step wise method def
use a set of steps
results
psychopaths use more subordinating conjunctions - ex because, since, as
psychopaths used more cause and effect- logical reason for crime, something that had to be done (in their head)
psychopaths used TWICE as many words linking to the herirachy of needs (eating, drinking etc)
Controls used more socio economic words, family, religion etc
psychopaths used more past tense words
psychopaths were signifcantly less fluent in the language they used
conslusions
psychopaths have lower socioeconomic needs than non psychopaths
psychopaths used more past tense words, distencing themselves from the crime
less fluent language can mean, what should have been an emotional event wasn’t for them (Brinkley)
