psychological explanation: cognitive

Question 1

Kohlberg

Answer 1

• levels of moral reasoning
• higher the stage, the more sophisticated the reasoning
• Heinz dilemma

Question 2

Kohlberg - M

Answer 2

• used moral dilemmas w/ violent youths
• significantly lower level compared to non-violent youths
• controlled for social background

Question 3

K - Offenders

Answer 3

• offenders classified as pre-conventional (stage 1 and 2)
• avoid punishment and gained rewards, childlike
• commit crimes for rewards e.g. money, respect
• egocentric poor social-perspective

Question 4

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 4

• misinterpret cues as aggressive
• 55 violent offenders images of emotionally ambiguous expressions
• compared with non-aggressive control- offenders more likely to perceive images as hostile

Question 5

Minimalisation

Answer 5

• downplay offence Bandura: ‘euphemistic label’
• 26 rapists, 54% denied they’d offended
• 40% minimised harm caused

Question 6

K - support

Answer 6

compared moral reasoning in 332 non-offenders and 126 offenders using SRM-SF, 11 moral dilemma questions
- offender group less mature

Question 7

Type of offence

Answer 7

-people who offend for financial gain more likely to show pre-conventional moral reasoning compared to impulsive crimes
- may not apply to al forms

Question 8

CD - application

Answer 8

• application to therapy
• CBT
• face up to what they’ve done
• found CBT reduced denial and minimalisation
• reduced risk of reoffending

Question 9

CD - type of offence

Answer 9

• sex offender questionnaire
• non-contact offenders used more CD than contact offenders
• previous history = more CD
• CD not used in the same way

Question 10

Descriptive or explanatory

Answer 10

• good at describing criminal mind
• doesn’t predict future behaviour
• CD doesn’t equal offender