Final Exam (Lectures 17-23) Flashcards
(68 cards)
What is “psychopathy”? (3 points) Identify one example each of an Interpersonal, Affective and Behavioral indicator of this disorder (3 points)
Psychopaths are intra-species predators who lack conscience and empathy. Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by manipulation, lack of emotional attachment and impulsivity. It is defined by a distinct collection of Interpersonal (ex: deceitfulness), Affective (lack of empathy and remorse) and Behavioral (impulsivity and unreliability) characteristics. Psychopaths look for vulnerable victims to prey on to satisfy their own selfish needs. Make up 1% of the population.
What is the most common method of assessing psychopathy? (2 points) Distinguish between Factor 1 and Factor 2 traits and provide one example of each. (4 points).
Most common method to assess psychopathy is the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991, 2003) by Robert Hare. This is used internationally, measures the extent to which an individual matches a prototypical psychopath. The cut off is a score of 30/40. Factor 1 is Interpersonal/Affective traits, for example glibness and lack of remorse. Factor 2 is Behavioural Symptoms for example impulsivity and poor behavioural controls.
Distinguish between Primary, Secondary and Dyssocial Psychopathy Subtypes (2 points each).
Primary psychopaths are true psychopaths (ex. Ted Bundy) who have biological deficits and measurable brain differences in fearlessness, impulsivity. They are grandiose manipulators who lack empathy and see their victims as objects. What distinguishes this psychopath from other types is their fearlessness which is inborn and they lack remorse.
Secondary psychopaths are emotionally disturbed offenders who commit antisocial behaviour due to severe emotional problems or inner conflicts. They are different from primary psychopaths as they do feel fear and can experience guilt and remorse, and are more likely to be stress-reactive (ex. Elizabeth Wettlaufer).
Dyssocial psychopaths learn psychopathic behaviour from a subculture, for example a gang. They differentiate from other types as they possess a capacity for empathy and positive emotions but this has been deactivated in response to harsh environmental conditions.
Explain 3 (of 4) distinct ways in which psychopathy is linked to crime/violence (2 points each)
- FREQUENCY OF OFFENDING: Psychopaths are prolific, high density offenders who commit almost 2x many violent crimes compared to non-psychopaths and start crime at a younger age
- VERSATILITY OF OFFENDING: As a result of poor behavioural controls psychopaths are opportunistic offenders. Jack of all trades, diverse, variety of offences and don’t specialize, victimize strangers
- MOTIVATION FOR VIOLENCE: Psychopaths are more likely to commit violent crimes relative to non-psychopaths. Psychopaths differ in their motivation, arousal level, victim type, and degree of planning relative to non-psychopaths.
- STABILITY OF CRIMINALITY IN LIFESPAN: Psychopaths persist longer in criminality with higher rates of general and violent reoffending. Fail more quickly and frequently on conditional release. Barely gets better with age:
* Factor 1 Traits never change, Factor 2 Traits and non-violent crimes are reduced in half of criminal psychopaths by age 35 - 40 years
Violent crime stable across lifespan.
Identify 3 key differences in the expression of psychopathy among females (as compared to males). (3 points) What is the problem with using the PCL-R to measure psychopathy among women? (3 points).
Psychopathy may be expressed differently in females due to gender differences in socialization.
While interpersonal and affective symptoms of psychopathy are manifested similarly in both genders, there are marked differences in behavioural symptoms:
1. Men are more likely to use physical aggression
2. Women more likely to use relational aggression
3. Women tend to begin offending later in life and reoffend less compared to men
The problem with using the PCL-R to measure psychopathy among women is that factor 2 traits do not capture relational aggression which is what women use. The PCL-R was developed on a male population and so few women score above 30. Behavioural traits on checklist may not capture female psychopathy adequetly. Factor 1 traits are similear between genders but factor 2 traits differ.
Distinguish between Lykken’s, Newman’s, and Hare’s theoretical explanations of the link between psychopathy and crime (2 points each).
- Lykken’s Fearlessness Model (1957, 1995)
- Argues psychopaths have deficits in experiencing of fear/anxiety as a result of abnormally low ANS functioning.
- Fearlessness results in an inability to learn from the consequences of punishment.
- Inability to experience fear/anxiety increases risk of crime because not afraid of consequences - HARE’S HYPO-EMOTIONALITY MODEL (1993, 1996)
- Argues that psychopaths have emotional deficits and are unable to experience full range of human emotion.
- Psychopaths’ broad emotional deficits increase their odds of engaging in criminal behaviour because they experience no feeling or concern for other people.
- Do not experience any distress over causing harm or suffering because they lack empathy for their victims - NEWMAN’S RESPONSE MODULATION THEORY (1987)
- Argues psychopathy is a reward motivation/attention deficit disorder
- When psychopaths engage in a specific rewarded behaviour, they do not pay attention to other contextual/peripheral cues (e.g., the presence of law enforcement, potential loss of job) that would normally deter others from engaging in antisocial behaviour.
What is “social stigma” as it relates to mental illness? (2 points) What are three negative impacts of stigma directed towards mental illness? (4 points)
Social Stigma: Severe disapproval and discrediting of a person based on characteristics that make them different from other people in society. This exists with mental illness as the public commonly perceived patients with mental illness as
unpredictable and violent. Three negative impacts of stigma towards mental health are:
1) Barriers in seeking and accessing care, services, housing, and employment.
2) Social isolation and a reduced social support network which can exacerbate mental illness symptoms.
3) Reduced quality of life, depression, loss of hope for recovery, suicide.
Explain the difference between “civil commitment” (3 points) as compared to admission into the “forensic system” (3 points)
Civil Commitment (involuntary commitment) is a legal process that allows a person to be detained against their will if they are deemed to have a severe mental disorder and pose a threat to themselves or others. In civil commitment, the person has not committed a crime.
The forensic system assesses, detains, and rehabilitates those with a mental disorder who have been criminally charged where the person is unfit to stand trial and/or NCRMD.
Are people with mental illness at greater risk of committing violence compared to others? (1.5 points) Identify 3 risk factors for perpetrating violence among people with serious mental illness. (1.5 points each)
People with mental illness are not at a greater risk of committing violence compared to others. The risk factors for perpetrating violence among people with serious mental illness are the same as those without mental illness. Risk factors include substance use, psychopathy and unemployment.
Identify and briefly describe the British case on which Canada’s insanity standard is based (3 points). What are the criteria required to be found not criminally responsible due to mental disorder (NCRMD) (3 points)?
Canada’s insanity standard is based on the M’Naughton case is 1843. The standard was created in reaction to the acquittal in 1843 of Daniel M’Naghten on the charge of murdering Edward Drummond. M’Naghten had shot Drummond after mistakenly identifying him as the British Prime Minister Robert Peel, who was the intended target. S.16 of the Criminal Code outlines that “no person is criminally responsible for an act committed or an omission made while suffering from a mental disorder that rendered the person incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the act or omission or of knowing that it was wrong”.
What does it mean to be “Unfit to stand trial?” (2 points). Outline the fitness standard in Canada (3 points). What can be done to make a person “fit”? (1 point).
Unfit to stand trial refers to an inability to conduct a defence at any stage of the proceedings on account of a person’s mental disorder (example: they have schizophrenia). The fitness standard has three points, the individual must: understand the nature/object of the proceedings, understand nature of possible consequences, and be able to communicate with their lawyer and understand who their lawyer is. The most common form of treatment is medication and if defendant becomes fit they return to court and proceedings continue.
What is the difference between insane and non-insane automatism? (4 points). Provide a clear example of each (2 points).
Non-insane automatism is involuntary behaviour that occurs because of an external factor, for example a blow to the head that results in a loss of consciousness. Cases are deemed not guilty due to lack of mens rea.
Insane automatism is involuntary action that occurs because of mental illness, for example schizophrenia and delusions. The verdict in such cases is NCRMD.
Dr. Lavoie conducted a study about police training and virtual reality. What was the purpose of her study (3 points) and what were her main findings? (3 points)
The purpose of her study was to address the research question: What is the efficacy of the mental health crisis response (MHCR) training program offered on a Virtual Reality vs. Live Action platform in improving de-escalation competencies among police officers? The study compared the efficacy of MHCRT offered in VR and Live Action formats in relation to a control group on the subjects DePICT de-escalation scores, following a 10 minute crisis simulation. The research results found that live action and VR are both modealities that work to train officers.The live action group had greater marginal means but the VR version showed more rapid/steep improvement. MHCRT also found to increase confidence in mental health response tasks, increased empathy and reduced bias towards people with mental illness.
Provide a definition of stalking (3 points) and identify and describe the criminal code legislation that criminalizes stalking (3
points).
Stalking is an intentional pattern of intrusive and intimidating behaviours toward a specific person that causes the target to feel scared or uncomfortable, or that a reasonable person would regard as being so. It can be found in the criminal code as Criminal Harassment, s. 264. The criminal code outlines four interrelated behaviours:
1. Repeatedly follow another person from place to place
2. Repeatedly communicate with, directly or indirectly, the other person
3. Beset or watch a place where the other person is living or working
4. Engage in threatening conduct directed at the other person or family members
These behaviours must cause the person to fear for their safety.
Who are the typical victims of stalking (3 points) and who are typical perpetrators (3 points).
8/10 victims of stalking are women, generally younger aged women between 15-34. University students (9-30% of females and 11-17% males in uni victimized). 88% of stalkers know their victims. Vulnerable groups are people with disabilities, history of childhood victimization, experiencing homelessness, LGBTQ, indigenous. Vulnerable professions are politicians, psychiatrists, doctors, uni profs. As for typical perpetrators, 9/10 are men. Often stalk people from a previous or current relationship.
Explain whether most stalkers are violent (2 points) and identify 3 risk factors for violence.
Most stalkers are not interpersonally violent. Violence occurs in 38% of cases and is an extreme severity modus operandi. Most stalkers engage in love bombing or less severe modus operandi. Violence in the form of uttering threats is increasing. Risk factors for violence include clinical variables like substance use disorder or personality disorder or case-related variables like a former intimate relationship with the victim.
Explain what an erotomanical delusion is (4 points) and give an example (2).
Erotomanical delusion is stalking characterized by the absence of a prior relationship with victim, but where the stalker falsely believes a relationship does exist due to mental illness. It is extremly rare, and delusions often concern idealized romantic love. Object of affection is usually of higher status and a complete stranger. Example is the case of David Letterman, who had a female stalker that believed she was in a relationship with him and would break into his house, steal his car and more.
Distinguish between Mohanie et al.’s (2006) four “RECON” stalker typologies (1.5 points each)
- Intimate stalker: stalker who has been in an intimate relationship with the victim and the most common type of stalker making up 50% of stalkers. Seeks power and control over victim.
- Love obsessional stalker: knows their victim, but has not been involved in an intimate relationship. They may know their victim from work, friends, patient/doctor relationship, etc. They want to have a romantic relationship with the victim. This type is rare, 13% of stalkers.
- Public figure (celebrity) stalker: Stalks public personalities with whom they have no prior relationship, this is distinguishing from previous 2 types. 27% of stalkers. Intense emotional feelings for their victim.
- Private stranger stalker: Stalks someone who is not a public figure, and with whom they have no prior relationship and wants to have a relationship with the victim. Rare, 10% of cases.
EARLY DESCRIPTION of psychopaths by Hervey Cleckley 1976
“The mask of sanity. Positive features like lack of anxiety, good intelligence and social charm. Emotional-interpersonal features like lack of remorse and insincerity. Behavioural problems like poor motivation and persistent antisocial behaviour.
FERDINAND WALDO DEMARA - “THE GREAT IMPOSTER”
Adopted fake identities, forged documents, worked in dozens of occupations without education. Had more factor 2 unstable /Anti-social lifestyle traits.
SELF-REPORT MEASURES of psychopathy
Advantages: Measure attributes/emotions not easily observable by others, Easy to administer, quick to score, relatively inexpensive, No concern re: inter-rater reliability
Limitations: Lying/manipulating to look good, Lack of insight to accurately assess own traits, Difficulty reporting emotions they neverexperienced (confuse remorse with discomfort)
Examples: Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R: Lilienfild & Widows, 2005) and Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP; Paulhus, Naumann, & Hare, 2016)
ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER (ASPD) and its prevalence
A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood and continues into adulthood. Indicated by three (or more) of the following: failure to conform, deceitfulness, impulsivity. 3-5% of adult general population, 60-80% inmates meet criteria for ASPD.
ASPD OR PSYCHOPATHY?
Constructs are highly positively correlated. Nearly all psychopathic offenders are APD BUT, Not all APD offenders are psychopaths
SUBCRIMINAL PSYCHOPATHS
An individual who displays symptoms of psychopathy but whose behaviour has not brought them into formal contact with the criminal justice system. Many in the community have higher psychopathic traits without the criminal aspect.
