PSYCH explanations: COGNITIVE.

Question 1

what are levels of moral reasoning?

Answer 1

individuals will draw upon their own VALUE system to determine whether an action is right or wrong.

CRIMINALS have a LOWER level of moral reasoning to non-criminals.

Question 2

what did heinz moral dilema determine about criminals in stages 1 or 2?

Answer 2

criminals in stages 1/2 are CHARACTERISED by a need to AVOID punishment and GAIN rewards

Therefore criminals may commit crime if they reason they can get AWAY with it or gain rewards i,e, MONEY.

Question 3

what are cognitive distortions?

Answer 3

ERRORS in criminals info processing characterised by FAULTY thinking.

criminals use this faulty thinking to JUSTIFY their criminal behaviour and EXPLAIN how they INTERPRET other peoples behaviour.

Question 4

what are 2 cognitive distortions?

Answer 4

*hostile attribution bias

*minimisation

Question 5

what is hostile attribution bias?

Answer 5

criminals judge AMBIGUOUS situations as AGGRESSIVE or THREATENING when in reality it may NOT be.

SHONENBERG showed 55 violent offenders images of emotionally AMBIGUOUS facial expressions and compared to a NON-aggressive group,

VIOLENT offenders MORE likely to perceive the images as ANGRY.

Question 6

what is minimalisation?

Answer 6

a type of DECEPTION where criminals DENY or DOWNPLAY the seriousness of an event or emotion, as a STRATEGY to deal with feelings o GUILT

HASHMALL: 35% child molesters argue their crime was AFFECTIONATE and 36% state the victim CONSENTED