Psychological Explanations:Cognitive Theory

Question 1

Who was the first researcher to apply moral reasoning to criminality?

Answer 1

Kohlberg

Question 2

What can people’s decisions and judgments on what’s right and wrong be summarized in?

Answer 2

A stage theory or moral reasoning

Question 3

What does a higher stage in Kohlberg’s moral reasoning indicate?

Answer 3

More sophisticated reasoning

Question 4

How do people progress through the stages of moral reasoning?

Answer 4

Through biological maturation and discussion

Kohlberg found that a group of violent youths were at a lower level of moral development than non violent youth

Question 5

What level are offenders more likely classified at in Kohlberg’s model?

Answer 5

Pre conventional level (stage 1 and 2)

Non offenders usually at the conventional level upwards

Question 6

What characterizes the pre conventional level of moral reasoning?

Answer 6

Needing to avoid punishment and gain rewards

less mature and childlike

Question 7

What is a common trait of adults and adolescents performing at the pre conventional level?

Answer 7

They may commit crime if they can get away with it and gain something

Question 8

What cognitive trait is often found in offenders related to social skills?

Answer 8

Poor social perspective-taking skills

Question 9

What are cognitive distortions?

Answer 9

Errors or biases in processing information

Characterised by faulty thinking
- researchers linked this to the way offenders interpret other peoples behaviour and justify their own actions

Question 10

What is hostile attribution bias?

Answer 10

The tendency to misinterpret the actions of others as confrontational

assuming people are being confrontational when theyre not
- offenders may misread non confrontational cues triggering a disproportionate, often violent response

Question 11

What did Schonenberg and Aiste find regarding offenders and emotional cues?

Answer 11

Through presenting 55 offenders with images of emotionally ambiguous faces - offenders were more likely to interpret ambiguous faces as angry and hostile

Question 12

What is minimalisation in the context of criminal behavior?

Answer 12

Attempt to deny or downplay the seriousness of the offense

Question 13

What percentage of rapists denied committing an offense according to Barbaree?

Answer 13

54%

another 40% minimised the harm that they caused to the individual

Question 14

What did Jodi Arias claim to minimize her actions during her trial?

Answer 14

Self-defense

Question 15

What did Palmer and Collin compare in their study?

As a strength to moral reasoning and crime

Answer 15

Moral reasoning in non-offenders and offenders

Question 16

What tool did Palmer and Collin use to measure moral reasoning?

Answer 16

Socio Moral Reflection Measure Short Form (SRM-SF)

contained 11 moral dilemma-related questions and offender group showed a less mature moral reasoning than the no offender group
- consistent with Kohlberg’s work

Question 17

What did Thornton and Reid find regarding moral reasoning and types of crime?

As a limitation of moral reasoning and crime

Answer 17

Those committing crime for financial gain showed more pre conventional reasoning

Preconventional moral reasoning tends to be associated with crimes in which offenders believe they have a good chance of evading punishment
- means kohlberg’s theory cannot be applied to all forms of crime

Question 18

What is a strength of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for offenders?

Answer 18

It aims to challenge irrational thinking

• helps them to establish a less distortioned view of ther actions

Question 19

What was the outcome of Harkins et al’s study related to denial and minimalisation?

As a strength of cognitive distortions

Answer 19

Reduced incidences of denial and minimalisation associated with reduced re-offending

• acceptance of ones crime is a huge part of rehabilitiation

Question 20

What did Howitt and Sheldon find about non-contact sexual offenders?

as a limitation of cognitive distortions

Answer 20

They used more cognitive distortions than contact offenders

Those with previous history were more likely to use distortions

Question 21

What does Howitt and Sheldon’s study say about cognitive distortions?

Answer 21

Dont help predict the future

• someone with distorted thinking isnt inevitably going to become a criminal

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Offenders are often more ________ with poor social perspective-taking skills.

Answer 22

egocentric