Psychological explanations of offending behaviour

Question 1

Eysenck’s Theory

Answer 1

Our personality is innate and has a biological basis but a psychological approach
Varies between 3 dimensions;
-Psychotic
-Neurotic
-Extravert

Question 2

Extraversion

Answer 2

Someone who is sociable, talkative and outgoing
Under aroused NS= Sensation seeking= impulsive
The thrill of committing a crime may draw them to offending behaviour

Question 3

Neuroticism

Answer 3

Anxiety, insecurity, emotional instability
The lower threshold in the limbic system
Over aroused SNS where emotions are regulated = unstable

Question 4

Psychotism

Answer 4

Aggressive and impulsive
Over production of dopamine= inhibition of impulses
=aggressive behaviour and lack of conscious
More likely to have increased testosterone (causes aggressive)

Question 5

Environmental element

Answer 5

A person is born with a type of personality but their environment is what triggers the development of criminality
-Associated with maturity, selfishness and gratification

Question 6

Conditioning

Answer 6

1. A child is conditioned
2. They learn between right and wrong
3. Avoids punishment behaviour
4. Child controls their impulses

High E + N= Act antisocially

Question 7

Eysencks Personality Questionnaire

Answer 7

(EPQ) 90 questions to assess personality traits
Also a lie score of 9 questions
Anything above 5 meant their responses to the questionnaire may be inaccurate

Question 8

Eysencks study

Answer 8

2070 male prisoners
2422 male controls

Prisoners scored higher on EPQ

Question 9

Cognitive distortions

Answer 9

Faulty, irrational ways of thinking
Can cause others to think negatively
Allows criminals to rationalise or deny behaviour

Question 10

GIBBS

Answer 10

A way of thinking so the reality is twisted and what a person perceives is no longer actually true
Perception of events is wrong but they think it’s accurate

Question 11

Examples of cognitive distortions

Answer 11

1. Hostile attribution bias
2. Minimalisation

Question 12

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 12

When you observe someones actions and make inferences about what their actions mean Violence is caused by the perception that others actions are aggressive
Always think the worst= lead to aggressive and violent behaviour

Question 13

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 13

Someone pulling up their trousers
Infer that they’re getting ready to fight you (neg thoughts)
Leads to aggressive behaviour

Question 14

Wegrzyn et al

Answer 14

62 males (30 violent criminals, 15 with history of sexual abuse, 17 controls)
Shown 20 ambiguous faces (10 men, 10 females)
Asked to rate them on a scale of fear to anger
Violent criminals rated more angry faces compared to controls

Question 15

Schonenberg and Justye

Answer 15

55 violent offenders
Shown emotionally ambiguous facial expressions
Violent offenders interpreted it as angry faces compared to controls

Question 16

Minimalisation

Answer 16

A way of downplaying serious offences
Helps individuals accept the consequences of behaviour
More likely in those who commit sexual offences

Question 17

Barbara (1991)

Answer 17

Found among 26 imprisoned rapists;
54% denied they committed an offence
40% minimised the harm they caused to the victim

Question 18

Pollock and Hashmall (1991)

Answer 18

35% of a sample of child molesters said the crime was non-sexual
36% said the victims consented

Question 19

Moral Reasoning

Answer 19

KOHLBERG
The thinking that occurs as we consider what’s wrong and right
Criminals ideas of wrong and right is developed in childhood
Criminals reasoning is lower than non criminals

Question 20

Levels of moral reasoning

Answer 20

1. Pre conventional
2. Conventional
3. Post conventional

Question 21

1. Pre-conventional morality

Answer 21

Stage 1: An act is right or wrong depending on if it produces punishment or reward
Stage 2: Multiple views about right and wrong are recognised
Doing what’s right according to society

Question 22

2. Conventional Morality

Answer 22

Stage 3: Doing what is right according to majority to be a good boy/girl
Stage 4: Doing what is right because its your duty and it helps society

Question 23

3. Post-conventional Morality

Answer 23

Stage 5: Doing what’s right even if its against the law because the law is too restrictive
Stage 6: Doing what is right because of your inner conscious which has absorbed the principles of justice and equality and sacredness of life

Question 24

Kohlberg study

Answer 24

Longitudinal study over 12 years
75 young American males ages 10-16 and ended 22-28 years

10% of adults reach post-conventional level
The majority don’t progress from pre-conventional level

Question 25

Differential Association Theory

Answer 25

SUTHERLAND
Learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motivation for criminal behaviour
Learn from others
Two parts of the theory;
1. Learned attitudes towards the crime
2. Learning of specific criminal acts

Question 26

1. Learned attitudes towards crime

Answer 26

Pro-criminal attitude= criminality
If pro-criminal attitudes outweigh anti-criminal attitudes an individual is more likely to offend
High frequency + duration + intensity to norms, attitudes and values, more likely to offend

Question 27

2. Learning of specific criminal acts

Answer 27

Offender may also learn particular techniques for committing a crime
Learning through observation, direct tuition or imitation
Can help reoffending

Question 28

Psychodynamic explanation

Answer 28

Proposes that unconscious motivation developed during childhood are responsible for criminal tendencies

Question 29

The Superego

Answer 29

Final part of the personality that develops in the phallic stage
Product of nurture as it develops through interactions with parents

Question 30

Underdeveloped or weak superego

Answer 30

Lack of identification with same sex parents produces superego that is unable to control the id’s desires for instant gratification.
Lack of punishment by the superego equals no guilt for offending

Question 31

Overdeveloped or strong superego

Answer 31

The person feels guilty all the time and so engages in crime in order to be punished
Superego is over controlling it stops even trivial behaviour
Causes a build-up of pressure until it overwhelms the person and they erupt in violence

Question 32

Deviant superego

Answer 32

Develops as a result of internalising the parents moral values
If those morals are deviant the Child’s values are also deviant
Increases likelihood of offending

Question 33

Defence mechanisms

Answer 33

FREUD
Thoughts and desires cause anxiety and guilt are managed by the ego
Offending behaviour results from ego defences being engaged

Question 34

Maternal deprivation

Answer 34

BOWLBY
Proposed disruption during the critical period of no mother or surrogate mother can cause problems in later life
Affectionless psychopathy- inability to feel guilt or emotion