WEEK 1 & 2 Flashcards
What is forensic psychology a combination of?
Criminology
Legal
Psychology
What is the biological theory of crime?
Focus on the physical body, such as inherited genes, evolutionary factors, brain structures, and hormones in influencing behaviour.
What is the sociological theory of crime?
Regard crime as a social phenomenon, and emphasises the cultural and social elements of criminal behaviour.
What is the psychological theory of crime?
Focus on individual personality, social factors, cognition and developmental factors.
What is the developmental life course theory of crime?
Regards individual factors such as personality, and social factors such as family and community wellbeing.
Who developed the constitutional theory and what category of theories of crime does it fall in?
Sheldon (1949)
Biological theories
What does the constitutional theory denote about crime?
Crime is a product of an individual’s body build (somatotype) which is linked to temperament.
What did the constitutional theory say endomorphs were?
Endomorphs > Obese > Jolly
What did the constitutional theory say ectomorphs were?
Ectomorphs > Thin > Introverted
What did the constitutional theory say mesomorphs were?
Mesomorphs > Muscular > Bold (Aggressive, more likely to commit crime)
what is the chromosomal theory (1965) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Biological
Normal female has 2 x X Chromosomes
Normal male has 1 x X and 1 x Y Chromosomes
‘Aggressive’ males have 2 x Y Chromosomes
what is the dyscontrol theory (1970) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Lesions in temporal lobe and limbic systems lead to physical violence, impulsive behaviour.
Biological
What are the sociological theories?
strain theory,
differential association theory
Labelling theory
what is the Strain theory (1938) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Sociological theory
Disadvantaged people without access to goals
($, status, power, etc) will resort to crime to gain it.
what is the Differential Association theory (1939) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Sociological
Learned behaviours; social interactions influence a propensity for leaning toward criminal or non-criminal behaviour.
what is the Labelling theory (1963) and what category of theories does it fall in?
sociological
Need or gratification of being labelled a criminal. Society ‘looking down’ on ‘criminals’ fuels more deviant acts
what is the Biosocial Theory of Crime theory (1964) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Psychological theory
Eysenck; Some personality types – namely Extraverts and Neurotics do not learn from mistakes and consequences and will develop antisocial tendencies.
what is the Social Learning theory (1973) and what category of theories does it fall in?
Psychological
Learned, when role models display antisocial behaviours, justified, when there is more perceived reward from ‘bad’ behaviours than punishment.
what is the General Theory of Crime (1990) and what category of theories does it fall in?
psychological
Low self control + criminal opportunity = persons more likely to commit crime
who was involved in the developmental life course theories?
Moffitt
What did Moffitt propose in his developmental life course theoriy?
Moffitt proposed that there are two main types of antisocial offenders in society:
Adolescence-limited offenders and
Life course persistent offenders
What are adolescence-limited offencers?
They demonstrate criminal or antisocial behaviour only during adolescence. Arrests numbers spike in adolescence, but subsequently declines.
What are Life Course persistent offenders?
Begin antisocial behaviour in childhood and continue into adulthood. Early ‘bad’ behaviours, biting and hitting at early ages, followed by moderate/serious crimes in adolescence and adulthood (from shoplifting to sexual assault and beyond).
What is the definition of forensic psychology?
a field of psychology that deals with all aspects of human behaviour as it relates to law or the legal system
what does forensic psychology study?
thoughts, feelings, behaviours in a legal context
when did forensic psychology begin?
• Began in the 19th century as ‘applied psychology’ – mostly experimental at first
who was Wilhelm Wundt and what did he believe?
Wilhelm Wundt, Germany, Physician, Psych → should be pure theory (experimental)
What did James Cattel establish?
eyewitness testimony (experimental) - Accuracy does not equal confidence
What did Alfred Binet propose?
suggestibility of children’s testimony (experimental) using Free recall vs. leading questions
what did William stern propose?
used eyewitness testimony, links with criminology (experimental) - Recall is inhibited by arousal
what did Schrenck-Notzing propose?
the effect of publicity on memory (clinical). Publicity can change memories
what did Varendock (1911), propose?
child witnesses
what did Munsterberg propose?
false confessions (clinical)
o Father of forensic psychology
o Criticised for a lack of empirical backing
what are clinical forensic psychologists concerned with?
Concerned with measuring/treating mental health issues as they pertain to law and legal issues
what are experimental forensic psychologists concerned with?
Concerned with researching mental health issues as they pertain to law
Do clinical forensic psychologists have a Masters or PhD?
May have a masters or PhD
Do experimental forensic psychologists have a Masters or PhD?
More often PhD trained
what are clinical forensic psychologists trained in?
Both assessment and treatment trained
what does experimental forensic psychologists include?
Often include much more than mental health – sociology, criminology, medicine overlaps
What should clinical forensic psychologists focus on?
When working with ‘clients’ focus on lowering risks
What additional things to clinical forensic psychologists do?
Clinical forensic psychologists also mediate in divorces/custody; provide expert testimony; facilitate treatment programs
who a the clients for experimental forensic psychologists?
The ‘clients’ for researchers are the courts themselves, or their employers
what do experimental forensic psychologists often conduct research into?
Experimental forensic psychologists often conduct research into: program evaluation; jury selection; eye-witness/line-up issues; tool evaluation
what are the phases of forensic psychologist involvement?
3 phases of forensic psychology:
Investigation phase
Court phase
Dealing with crime (reaction) phase
Forensic psychologists (both clinical and experimental) help in any phase of the process
what occurs in the investigation phase?
Usually dealing with an unknown offender for a known crime. FPs can offer many different types of assistance in on-going cases
What types of assistance do forensic psychologists provide in on-going cases?
profiling, information from witness/victims, suspects, staff
What is involved in investigation profiling?
- Case linkage
- Motives
- Staging
- Personality profiles
- Threat assessment
what is involve in investigating information from witness/victims?
- How IDs should be mad
- Veracity of testimony
- Issues of memory
- Deception
What are involves in investigating suspects
- False confessions
- Deception
- Detection
- Interrogation
What are involves in investigating staff?
- Tunnel vision
- Confirmation bias
- Interrogation/interview
what does the court phase of FP usually deal with?
a known suspect for a known crime
what can FPs offer in the court phase?
FPs can offer different types of assistance, usually involving expert testimony
what do clinical FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?
competence, insanity, intent, mitigation
what do experimental FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?
o Witness IDs
o False confessions
o Investigative issues
what do court appointed FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?
Family law mediation/assessments
what do consultant to advocate FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?
o Jury selection
o Jury perceptions
o Courtroom fashion
what does the Dealing with Crime (Reaction) Phase deal with?
Usually dealing with a known offender for a known crime, or future unknown crimes
what kinds of contexts can FP offer assistance in in the reaction phase?
o Offenders in custody (risk assessment, treatment (rehab programs), management etc.)
o Offenders in community
o Crime prevention for various stakeholders (local governments, insurance companies)
o Victim services (clinical and experimental)
what are the three ways psychology and law interact?
Psychology in the law Psychology of the law
Psychology on the law
what is Psychology in the law ?
Involuntary commitment
what is Psychology of the law ?
Looking at practices and using psychological research to improve this i.e. criminal line-up
what is Psychology on the law ?
o Legal scholar
o Looking to see if laws prevent/deter crime etc.
what did Zimbardo suggest about the psychology of evil?
EVIL = POWER
How does one understand the transformations of human character according to Zimbardo?
Dispositional – individual’s (what’s inside) → bad apples
Situational – external factors → the bad barrel
Systematic – broad influences – political, economic → the bad barrel makers
What did Zimbardo say about situational factors?
• Power-balance
• Lack of accountability – no repercussions
• Anonymity
o Group setting/mentality
• Higher rates of evil when accountability and anonymity are low
• Group norms/group repercussions
• In novel situations (i.e. no social script to abide by) → likely to follow others
what is the impact of authority?
- Novel situations – authority becomes a guide
- Power (authority has power)
- Accountability (can be assumed authority will ‘take’ the blame)
what are the limitations of indiviudalised psychological explanations of crimes?
- Misses external factors
- Misses systematic impacts – community + culture + history
- Onus on the individual
How does one reduce/avoid inappropriate behaviour for those ‘in power’?
- Ethical standards
- Monitoring
- Accountability
- Transparency – public knowledge
- Objective/external parties
Who was John Hickley Jr?
John Hinckley was an aspiring song-writer and student • Well-rounded in primary school but became withdrawn in high school • In 1976 he saw the movie ‘Taxi Driver’ repeatedly • Started lying about his ‘girlfriend’ who was modeled on Jodi Foster’s character • Dropped out of university repeatedly • bought a gun in 1979
what weird behaviours did John Hickley Jr show?
Began thinking about suicide, played Russian roulette on several occasions • In 1980 he acquired more weapons, began taking anti- depressants and tranquilizers • He saw an article about Jodie Foster attending Yale University, enrolled
What did John Hickley Jr do to Jodie Foster?
He began sending her letters and poems • He spoke to her twice on the phone • He came to believe that assassinating the president of the USA would allow him to be respected and loved (like the movie) • Started stalking President Carter – was arrested at the airport for carrying handguns, fined • His psychiatrist recommended he be cut off financially
What happened to john hickley jr after he couldnt get a job?
Unable to get a job, his obsession worsened
• He planned to commit suicide in front of
Foster to ‘impress’ her
• He sent her a letter outlining he would
assassinate President Reagan
• At a convention where the President was
speaking, Hinckley stepped forward and fired
6 times striking Reagan in the chest and 3
others in the head, neck and stomach
• He was immediately arrested
what happened at John Hickley Jr’s trial?
At trial, Hinckley successfully invoked the insanity
defense
• Defense experts argued he was insane, Prosecution
experts disagreed
• Hinckley was sentenced to a forensic mental health
facility
• 1983 Penthouse interview “see a therapist, answer mail,
play guitar, listen to music, play pool, watch television,
eat lousy food and take delicious medication”
• His attorneys continued to fight for privileges
• Some were revoked in 2000
what are some examples of roles for the experimental FP?
– Effect of violent media on mentally unstable
– Mental illness and efficacy of firearm legislation
– Medication for treatment of mental illness
– Use of tools for ongoing risk assessment
what are some examples of roles for the clinical FP?
– Threat assessment of Foster’s stalker
– Assessment of responsibility (insanity) and competence,
mitigation, malingering
– Ongoing clinical assessment in hospital
– Assessment of motive, intent, risk
