Social Cognition - Gudjonsson & Bownes

Question 1

What is social cogntion

Answer 1

Way in which social information is processed, biases in the way we process social information

Question 2

Aim of Gudjonsson & Bownes

Answer 2

• Examine the relationship between the type of offence and attributions offenders make about their criminal act
• Cross validate findings on English sample

Question 3

Method of Gudjonsson & Bownes

Answer 3

• 42 item ‘Blame attribution inventory’ to measures offenders type of offence & attribution of blame on three dimensions.
• Internal/external, mental element and guilt

Question 4

Participants of Gudjonsson & Bownes

Answer 4

80 criminals in Northern Ireland

• Group 1 - 20 violent offenders
• Group 2 - 40 sex offenders
• Group 3 - 20 property offences

Question 5

Results of Gudjonsson & Bownes

Answer 5

• Sex offenders showed most guilt then violent offenders
• Little difference between mental element
• External attribution highest violent crime
• Compared with English, violent Irish prisoners - lower mental element lower guilt, high external attribution

Question 6

Conclusion of Gudjonsson & Bownes

Answer 6

• Strong consistency with English findings across groups
• Suggest offenders attribute blame across two crimes
• Only different is violent prisoners
• Due to Northern Ireland problems