raine - classical

Question 1

aim

Answer 1

investigate if there is any differences in brain structure/ activity of non murderers vs NGRI murderers

Question 2

sample A01

Answer 2

• 41 murderers (NGRI) , 41 non murderes, 6 of NGRI murderes had SZ were matched with 6 non murderes and the rest of the sample was matched based on age and sex
• control group has no medical issues/ medication, and murderes had to withdraw from medication for 2 weeks prior and were urine tested

pf the 41 murderers, 6 had sz 23 had brain damage, 2 had epilepsy 3 had drug abuse

Question 3

a03 sample

Answer 3

• strength: controlled for extraneous variables such as withdrawing medication for 2 weeks prior this n=ensures that medication doesn’t effect the validity of findings from PET scan, meaning evidence based on difference brain activity murders vs non murderes more credible

strength- high internal validity controlled for ppt variables as were matched on age and sex, therefore can develop a stronger correlation ensuring brain activity between samples can be inferred and not looking at difference in age and sex but murder/ non- murderer

weakness- limited sample, experimental, all NGRI not represntiitve of all murderes not all claim NGRI

Question 4

procedure a01

Answer 4

• given a 10 min practice trial of CPT,
  then were injected with FDG and completed a 32 min task, involved spotting targets on a screen and clicking a button to indicate the target. scans were taken 10 times 10mm intervals to monitor glucose metabolism

Question 5

procedure A03

Answer 5

strength- standardised procedure therefore can test for consistency - link

• weakness although the CPT was unrelated to violence and therefore we cant necessarily say the areas of the brain higher/ lower in murders due to causing more impulsive + violent. behaviour because task isn’t testing that
• although highly objective, uses PET scans which are down to measure what they claim therefore increasing internal validity, limiting effect of researcher bias

Question 6

results A01

Answer 6

found in left amygdala involved with interpreting danger murderes had less glucose metabolism 94 compared to non murderes 97, right side of amygdala responsible for responding to danger and interpreting facial expressions higher glucose metabolism 88 compared to 83 in non murders, also found the corps collosum lower activity as well as PFC lower activity in murderes which is involved in controlling impulses as well as decison making and planning low acitiitiy- unable control impulses

-PET scan demonstrated clear difference between glucose metabolism murders and non murders

suggested predisposition towards violence in. murders

Question 7

application

Answer 7

pre screening, pre treatment e.g. CBT learn to control anger and regulate impulses prevent becoming violent, protecting society