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PYB215 > WEEK 1 & 2 > Flashcards

WEEK 1 & 2 Flashcards

1
Q

What is forensic psychology a combination of?

A

Criminology
Legal
Psychology

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2
Q

What is the biological theory of crime?

A

Focus on the physical body, such as inherited genes, evolutionary factors, brain structures, and hormones in influencing behaviour.

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3
Q

What is the sociological theory of crime?

A

Regard crime as a social phenomenon, and emphasises the cultural and social elements of criminal behaviour.

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4
Q

What is the psychological theory of crime?

A

Focus on individual personality, social factors, cognition and developmental factors.

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5
Q

What is the developmental life course theory of crime?

A

Regards individual factors such as personality, and social factors such as family and community wellbeing.

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6
Q

Who developed the constitutional theory and what category of theories of crime does it fall in?

A

Sheldon (1949)

Biological theories

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7
Q

What does the constitutional theory denote about crime?

A

Crime is a product of an individual’s body build (somatotype) which is linked to temperament.

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8
Q

What did the constitutional theory say endomorphs were?

A

Endomorphs > Obese > Jolly

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9
Q

What did the constitutional theory say ectomorphs were?

A

Ectomorphs > Thin > Introverted

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10
Q

What did the constitutional theory say mesomorphs were?

A

Mesomorphs > Muscular > Bold (Aggressive, more likely to commit crime)

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11
Q

what is the chromosomal theory (1965) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

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

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12
Q

what is the dyscontrol theory (1970) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

Lesions in temporal lobe and limbic systems lead to physical violence, impulsive behaviour.
Biological

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13
Q

What are the sociological theories?

A

strain theory,
differential association theory
Labelling theory

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14
Q

what is the Strain theory (1938) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

Sociological theory
Disadvantaged people without access to goals
($, status, power, etc) will resort to crime to gain it.

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15
Q

what is the Differential Association theory (1939) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

Sociological

Learned behaviours; social interactions influence a propensity for leaning toward criminal or non-criminal behaviour.

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16
Q

what is the Labelling theory (1963) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

sociological

Need or gratification of being labelled a criminal. Society ‘looking down’ on ‘criminals’ fuels more deviant acts

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17
Q

what is the Biosocial Theory of Crime theory (1964) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

Psychological theory
Eysenck; Some personality types – namely Extraverts and Neurotics do not learn from mistakes and consequences and will develop antisocial tendencies.

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18
Q

what is the Social Learning theory (1973) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

Psychological
Learned, when role models display antisocial behaviours, justified, when there is more perceived reward from ‘bad’ behaviours than punishment.

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19
Q

what is the General Theory of Crime (1990) and what category of theories does it fall in?

A

psychological

Low self control + criminal opportunity = persons more likely to commit crime

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20
Q

who was involved in the developmental life course theories?

A

Moffitt

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21
Q

What did Moffitt propose in his developmental life course theoriy?

A

Moffitt proposed that there are two main types of antisocial offenders in society:
Adolescence-limited offenders and
Life course persistent offenders

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22
Q

What are adolescence-limited offencers?

A

They demonstrate criminal or antisocial behaviour only during adolescence. Arrests numbers spike in adolescence, but subsequently declines.

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23
Q

What are Life Course persistent offenders?

A

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).‬

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24
Q

What is the definition of forensic psychology?

A

a field of psychology that deals with all aspects of human behaviour as it relates to law or the legal system

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25
Q

what does forensic psychology study?

A

thoughts, feelings, behaviours in a legal context

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26
Q

when did forensic psychology begin?

A

• Began in the 19th century as ‘applied psychology’ – mostly experimental at first

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27
Q

who was Wilhelm Wundt and what did he believe?

A

Wilhelm Wundt, Germany, Physician, Psych → should be pure theory (experimental)

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28
Q

What did James Cattel establish?

A

eyewitness testimony (experimental) - Accuracy does not equal confidence

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29
Q

What did Alfred Binet propose?

A

suggestibility of children’s testimony (experimental) using Free recall vs. leading questions

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30
Q

what did William stern propose?

A

used eyewitness testimony, links with criminology (experimental) - Recall is inhibited by arousal

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31
Q

what did Schrenck-Notzing propose?

A

the effect of publicity on memory (clinical). Publicity can change memories

32
Q

what did Varendock (1911), propose?

A

child witnesses

33
Q

what did Munsterberg propose?

A

false confessions (clinical)
o Father of forensic psychology
o Criticised for a lack of empirical backing

34
Q

what are clinical forensic psychologists concerned with?

A

Concerned with measuring/treating mental health issues as they pertain to law and legal issues

35
Q

what are experimental forensic psychologists concerned with?

A

Concerned with researching mental health issues as they pertain to law

36
Q

Do clinical forensic psychologists have a Masters or PhD?

A

May have a masters or PhD

37
Q

Do experimental forensic psychologists have a Masters or PhD?

A

More often PhD trained

38
Q

what are clinical forensic psychologists trained in?

A

Both assessment and treatment trained

39
Q

what does experimental forensic psychologists include?

A

Often include much more than mental health – sociology, criminology, medicine overlaps

40
Q

What should clinical forensic psychologists focus on?

A

When working with ‘clients’ focus on lowering risks

41
Q

What additional things to clinical forensic psychologists do?

A

Clinical forensic psychologists also mediate in divorces/custody; provide expert testimony; facilitate treatment programs

42
Q

who a the clients for experimental forensic psychologists?

A

The ‘clients’ for researchers are the courts themselves, or their employers

43
Q

what do experimental forensic psychologists often conduct research into?

A

Experimental forensic psychologists often conduct research into: program evaluation; jury selection; eye-witness/line-up issues; tool evaluation

44
Q

what are the phases of forensic psychologist involvement?

A

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

45
Q

what occurs in the investigation phase?

A

Usually dealing with an unknown offender for a known crime. FPs can offer many different types of assistance in on-going cases

46
Q

What types of assistance do forensic psychologists provide in on-going cases?

A

profiling, information from witness/victims, suspects, staff

47
Q

What is involved in investigation profiling?

A
  • Case linkage
  • Motives
  • Staging
  • Personality profiles
  • Threat assessment
48
Q

what is involve in investigating information from witness/victims?

A
  • How IDs should be mad
  • Veracity of testimony
  • Issues of memory
  • Deception
49
Q

What are involves in investigating suspects

A
  • False confessions
  • Deception
  • Detection
  • Interrogation
50
Q

What are involves in investigating staff?

A
  • Tunnel vision
  • Confirmation bias
  • Interrogation/interview
51
Q

what does the court phase of FP usually deal with?

A

a known suspect for a known crime

52
Q

what can FPs offer in the court phase?

A

FPs can offer different types of assistance, usually involving expert testimony

53
Q

what do clinical FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?

A

competence, insanity, intent, mitigation

54
Q

what do experimental FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?

A

o Witness IDs
o False confessions
o Investigative issues

55
Q

what do court appointed FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?

A

Family law mediation/assessments

56
Q

what do consultant to advocate FPs assess in their assistance in the court phase?

A

o Jury selection
o Jury perceptions
o Courtroom fashion

57
Q

what does the Dealing with Crime (Reaction) Phase deal with?

A

Usually dealing with a known offender for a known crime, or future unknown crimes

58
Q

what kinds of contexts can FP offer assistance in in the reaction phase?

A

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)

59
Q

what are the three ways psychology and law interact?

A

Psychology in the law Psychology of the law

Psychology on the law

60
Q

what is Psychology in the law ?

A

Involuntary commitment

61
Q

what is Psychology of the law ?

A

Looking at practices and using psychological research to improve this i.e. criminal line-up

62
Q

what is Psychology on the law ?

A

o Legal scholar

o Looking to see if laws prevent/deter crime etc.

63
Q

what did Zimbardo suggest about the psychology of evil?

A

EVIL = POWER

64
Q

How does one understand the transformations of human character according to Zimbardo?

A

Dispositional – individual’s (what’s inside) → bad apples

Situational – external factors → the bad barrel

Systematic – broad influences – political, economic → the bad barrel makers

65
Q

What did Zimbardo say about situational factors?

A

• 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

66
Q

what is the impact of authority?

A
  • Novel situations – authority becomes a guide
  • Power (authority has power)
  • Accountability (can be assumed authority will ‘take’ the blame)
67
Q

what are the limitations of indiviudalised psychological explanations of crimes?

A
  • Misses external factors
  • Misses systematic impacts – community + culture + history
  • Onus on the individual
68
Q

How does one reduce/avoid inappropriate behaviour for those ‘in power’?

A
  • Ethical standards
  • Monitoring
  • Accountability
  • Transparency – public knowledge
  • Objective/external parties
69
Q

Who was John Hickley Jr?

A 
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
70
Q

what weird behaviours did John Hickley Jr show?

A 
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
71
Q

What did John Hickley Jr do to Jodie Foster?

A 
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
72
Q

What happened to john hickley jr after he couldnt get a job?

A

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

73
Q

what happened at John Hickley Jr’s trial?

A

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

74
Q

what are some examples of roles for the experimental FP?

A

– 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

75
Q

what are some examples of roles for the clinical FP?

A

– Threat assessment of Foster’s stalker
– Assessment of responsibility (insanity) and competence,
mitigation, malingering
– Ongoing clinical assessment in hospital
– Assessment of motive, intent, risk

PYB215 (4 decks)

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