FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
(72 cards)
1
Q
where was the topdown approach used
A
-used in USA, began w/ FBI
– behavioural science unit started researching family backgrounds, personalities, crimes and motives of serial killers in 1970’s
2
Q
How does the top down approach work
A
- Match what is known about the crime & offender to a pre-existing template the FBI has developed
- Gathered data from interviews with 36 sexually motivated prolific serial killers
- From the insights gained from interviews, analysis of the crimes they developed a classification system for murderers and rapists.
3
Q
How does the FBI create profiles?
A
Data assimilation
Crime scene classification
Crime reconstruction
Profile generation
4
Q
Characteristics of an organised offender
A
- Above average intelligence
- Operates with detached surgical precision
- Little evidence/clues left behind
- Planned crime in advance
- Usually married or has children
- Socially and sexually competent
- Victims deliberately targeted have a type
- Skilled professional occupation
5
Q
Characteristics of a disorganised offender
A
- Unskilled or unemployed
- Tend to live alone near where crime took place
- A history of social & sexual dysfunction
- Lower than average IQ
- Body usually found at scene of crime
- Impulsive and unplanned crime
6
Q
AO3 of top down approach
A
- Canter (2004) claimed the evidence does not support the disorganised offender due to an analysis of 100 US murders each committed by a different serial killer. Technique called smallest space analysis used. Found that there does not seem a subset of features of many serial killings that matched FBI’s typology of organised offenders
- Classification is too simplistic (link to Grover Godwin 2002) some studies suggest the organised and disorganised types are not mutually exclusive. There are a variety of combinations that occur at any given murder scene. Godwin argues its difficult to classify killers as one or the other type. Killer can have both qualities e.g. high IQ low sexual competence. Therefore it is unrepresentative as it contradicts in some cases.
- Applies to particular crimes such as burglary. Critics claimed technique only applies to a limited number of crimes such as sexually motivated murder. However, Meketa reports top-down profiling has been applied to burglary leading to 85% of cases solved.
- Original sample is too small and unrepresentative because the interviews of the murders were 36, 25 serial killer, 11 single kills. Found 24 to be organised and 12 disorganised. No standard of set question poor interview skills not comparable therefore can’t represent killers characteristics.
7
Q
Where & what is the bottom up approach used
A
- Used in UK
* Generate a picture of offender through systematic analysis of the crime scene
8
Q
How is the bottom u approach used
A
- Profile of the offender is ‘data driven’ – profile emerges from investigation
- Use all the evidence gathered at the crime scene to make judgement based on scrutiny of the details of the offence
9
Q
what is investigative psychology?
A
- Applying statistical procedures to the analysis of the crime scene
- Be able to identify patterns of behaviour which are likely to occur across different crime scenes, recorded in statistical database for baseline comparison
- Specific details of an offence can be matched to this
10
Q
Define Interpersonal Coherence
A
how the offender behaves at the scene of the crime and with the victim can be applied to everyday situations
11
Q
Define Significance of time & place
A
Geographical profiling
12
Q
what is forensic awareness
A
covering their tracks
13
Q
what is geographical profiling?
AKA crime mapping
A
• Rossomo – stated that an offenders operational base of possible future offences are revealed by the geographical location of their previous crimes
14
Q
what is canters circle theory?
A
- Canter (1993) proposed two models of offender behaviour based on geographical location
- The marauder = operates close proximity of their home
- The commuter = travelled a significant distance
15
Q
Outline Eysenck’s theory
A
Eysenck believed that behaviour and personality could be represented along two dimension that could define and characterise an individual’s personality.
* Introversion and Extraversion
* Neuroticism and Stability
• Later added psychoticism
16
Q
what does low and high extraversion represent?
A
Low Extraversion = unsociable, cautious
High Extraversion = sociable, sensation seeking
17
Q
What does low and high neuroticism represent?
A
Low = calm, relaxed
High = tense, anxious, irrational
18
Q
What does Low & High Psychoticism represent?
A
Low = non-aggressive, warm, aware of others
High = aggressive, selfish, lacking feeling
19
Q
what is the biological basis of Eysenck’s theory?
A
• Eysenck believed that our personality traits had biological origins from our nervous system
Therefore all personality types have innate biological basis
- Extraverts: under active nervous system
- Neurotic: nervous, jumpy, over-anxious, instability, behaviour unpredictable
20
Q
Whats the “recipe” for criminal personality?
A
Extraversion + Neuroticism + Psychoticism = Criminal personality
21
Q
what is the EPI
A
Eysenck’s personality inventory - a questionnaire to determine perosnality
22
Q
extraverts
A
have underachieve nervous system so they constantly seek excitement, stimulation and are likely to engage in risk taking behaviours. they don’t learn from mistakes
23
Q
Neurotic individuals
A
have high level or reactivity in sympathetic nervous system - they respond quickly to threats. they tend to be nervous, jumpy, over anxious & their general instability means their behaviour is difficult to predict
24
Q
Psychotic individuals
A
suggested to have higher levels of testosterone and are unemotional and prone to aggression
25
AO3 of Eysenck
+ research support from Eysenck & Eysenck. studied 2070 male prisoners w/ 2422 male controls. => all scored high on E,N,P compared to control. sample size large.
- However all P's are males, researcher bias. Difference of personality based on offence. the controls could lie and be be criminal just not caught
- Farrington et al. conducted meta analysis reported offenders tended to score high on P but not for E,N. inconsistent evidence on EEG measures used to measure cortical arousal between introverts and extraverts. this means some of the central assumptions of Criminal personality have been challenged
26
Further AO3 for Eysenck
_ the data collected was via questionnaires which is self report data. People can lie and get bored. Its not reliable to use questionaries as people can lie or see themselves different to how they are.
the data collected is all from males. there can be a complete different personality for female offenders. hence the findings can't be generalised & applied to females.
Both the theory and research is by Eysenck. he knows what he is looking fro and can introduce researcher bias. he can say this persons more extraversion then the control when its similar. this causes bias making his findings unreliable.
27
What would the cognitive approach state is the reasoning for offending behaviour?
Cognitive approaches general assumption is internal mental processes, so a criminals processing could be different to a non-offender causing them to commit crimes. Such as abnormalities or dysfunction.
28
what did Kohlberg propose?
People’s decisions and judgements on issues of what is right and wrong can be summarised to a stage theory of moral development: the higher the stage, the more sophisticated the reasoning. He decided this on response to a series of moral dilemmas e.g. Heinz dilemma
29
what is meant by lower level of moral reasoning?
* Criminals will show a lower level of moral reasoning than non – criminals
* Kohlberg found violent youths has lower moral reasoning than non – violent youths
30
what are the 3 levels of Kohlberg moral reasoning?
LEVEL 1 - Preconventional
LEVEL 2 - Conventional
LEVEL 3 - Post - conventional
31
Describe Level 1 - preconventional
Stage 1 - avoid punishment
Stage 2 - personal gain
decisions are made based on a need to avoid punishment & Gian reward
32
Describe Level 2 - conventional
Stage 3 - Approval of others "I'm a good boy/girl"
Stage 4 - Maintain social order
A focus on norms and rules
33
Describe Level 3 - Post - conventional
Stage 5 - social contract
Stage 6 - Universal principles
decisions are based on own ethical principles - question rules
34
What stage of moral reasoning to criminals usually have?
* Criminals – pre conventional level stage 1 & 2
* Criminals don’t go past stage ½ because theres something wrong like a mental process and they never developed the correct morals
* Non-Criminals – progress to conventional and beyond levels
35
what are cognitive distortions?
* Errors or biases in information processing system due to faulty thinking
* In relation to the way criminals interpret other people’s behaviour and justify their actions
36
what is hostile attribution bias?
Offenders will misinterpret the actions of other e.g. they will assume someone is being confrontational when they are not being.
May view non-aggressive cues as aggressive – trigger aggressive, violent response (usually)
SCHONENBERG & JUSTYE (2014)
55 violent offenders with images of emotionally ambiguous facial expressions
Compared with control they perceived images as angry more than the control group
37
What is minimisation?
Attempt to downplay or deny the seriousness of the offence
- A burglar may say “I’m only doing a job” or “I’m trying to support my family” to minimise the seriousness of their crime
* Common within offenders of sexual offence crimes
* BARBAREE (1991) – 26 Rapists > 54% denied committing any crime
* POLLOCK & HASHMALL (1991) – 35% Child molesters said crime was non-sexual, 36% said the child consented
38
AO3 Kohlberg
One strength of Kohlberg’s model of moral reasoning is research support from Palmer & Hollin (1998) for level of moral reasoning explanation. They compared the moral reasoning of 332 non-offenders to 126 convicted offenders. They has 11 moral dilemma questions. The offender group showed less mature moral reasoning than the non-offender. This supports Kohlberg’s predictions and supports his theory that offenders only have stage 1 & 2 of reasoning as they have a dysfunction that stops that from processing like a non-offender.
One limitation of Kohlberg’s model of moral reasoning is that it is dependent on the type of offence. Thornton & Reid found people who committed crimes for financial gain were more likely to show stage 1 moral reasoning as they thought they are more likely to get away with it. Stage 1 of moral reasoning applies to crimes they think they can get away with. This shows Kohlberg’s theory cannot be applied to all forms of crime as murder won’t be committed because they think they can get away it, it will be committed for other reasons. Such as love or anger.
Another strength of Kohlberg’s theory is the practical application to therapy. CBT cognitive behaviour therapy aims to challenge irrational thinking and correct the way its processed. In cases of offending behaviour criminals are pushed to accept what they have done and understand the scale of what’s done. Harkins suggested that reduced denial and minimalisation shows improvement and they are less likely to reoffend as they know have a greater understaning on how their actions affect others. Their cognitive processing is changed, and they now understand. This shows that the theory of cognitive distortions has practical value as it can be used to reduce reoffending.
39
what is differential association theory
• Through interactions with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motives for criminal behaviour
40
what did Sutherland do?
* Sutherland developed a set of scientific principles which led to the explanation of offending behaviour
* These principals should be able to explain crime and apply across all races, backgrounds and classes
* Easily able to distinguish between those who are criminals and those who are not
41
what are the 2 way criminal behaviour rises?
• Criminal behaviour and crime is learned just like any other behaviour
Criminal behaviour rises in 2 ways:
• Learnt attitude towards others
• Leaning of specific criminal acts
42
What are the main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
The main assumptions are that we have a conscious and unconscious side that can influence behaviour.
We have 3 personality structures the id, ego and super ego. (Tri-part personality).
43
what does the ego do
Ego mediates between the two. Balances out using defence mechanisms, reality principle.
44
what does the superego do
Superego is based on the morality principle, has an understanding of morals and knowing what’s right and wrong.
45
what does the id do?
The id is instant gratification it wants what it wants instantly.
46
what are the Oedipus/Electra complexes?
Oedipus is for boys Electra is for girls
This is when a child becomes subconsciously attracted to the parent and is always in competition with the other parents. E.g. a girl around 3-6 becomes attracted to dad and is “hostile” towards mum.
47
what's an inadequate super-ego?
* the superego is formed at the end of the phallic stage in the resolution of the Oedipus or Electra complex
* superego works on the morality principle – punishing the ego through guilt and rewarding it with pride
* BLACKBURN (1993) stated if the superego is inadequate then criminal behaviour is bound to be present – the id is free and not controlled we are going to give into our urges and impulses
48
weak super-ego
if the same sex parent is absent in the phallic stage the child will not be able to develop a fully-formed superego as there is no chance for identification (absent same sex parent)
49
Deviant Super-ego
if the superego has immoral and deviant values, this will lead to criminal behaviour
A girl who was raised by a criminal mother may not associate guilt with wrongdoing (therefore not see criminal behaviour as immoral) same sex parent criminal = criminal
50
Over-harsh super-ego
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if a superego is overly harsh, then the individual can be crippled with guilt or anxiety.
This may (whether aware of it or not) lead the individual to perform offending behaviour to satisfy the superego’s need for punishment.
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51
what is Bowlby's attachment
0-2 years of age is the critical period where a healthy attachment with the mother should be formed. If an unhealthy attachment is formed it can lead to cognitive issues, social issues and behavioural issues.
52
describe the maternal deprivation hypothesis?
Warm intimate and continuous relationship with a mother is necessary for healthy psychological/emotional development.
53
Consequences of maternal deprivation
* An inability to form attachments in the future (see the Internal Working Model)
* Affectionless psychopathy (inability to feel remorse)
* Delinquency (behavioural problems in adolescence)
* Problems with Cognitive Development
54
Bowlby's Study
44 thieves compared to 44 non thieves
• Collected data interviews and questionnaires from the 88 juveniles and found that 17/ 44 thieves had experienced early prolonged separation from their mothers before 5 years.
• 15/17 of these thieves were classed as affectionless psychopaths (no guilt/ remorse), while only 2/44 non-thieves had experienced such separation. Therefore these findings support the MDH(material deprivation hypothesis), as there appears to be a link between disruption to attachments in the first 5 years and later maladjustment. Most offenders have a lack of feeling or remorse which is essentially caused by a lack of a mother figure.
55
what do bowlby's finding indicate
• Bowlby’s findings indicate that experiencing disrupted attachments early in life is linked to crime, emotional maladjustment and lower academic achievement, lending strong support for the MDH.
56
AO3 for psychodynamic
According to Freud’s psychosexual stages females should be more prone to criminal behaviour than males as they don’t experience castration anxiety. Girls are under less pressure to identify with mothers and develop weaker superegos. This means they are generally ruled by the id that wants what it want instant gratification. This suggests women are less moral and hence criminal. This is opposed by the ratio of men to women in prison which is a vivid example of gender bias.
There is a possible alternative biological explanation for the deviant superego theory such as the genes that make your more likely to offend. These genes are the MAOA OF CDH13. This is an alternative to the deviant superego. Perhaps the genes are passed on by mother or father passes their predispositions for deviance. This further weakens Blackburn’s claims about the superego and crime.
57
Reductionist
belief that human behaviour can be explained by breaking it down into smaller components
58
Holistic
focuses on looking at things as a whole
59
Deterministic
all behaviour has a internal or external cause and is predictable
60
Hard Deterministic
forces outside our control effect our behaviour therefore no free will
61
Soft Deterministic
some forces with potential of free will
62
Free will
Choice to determine our behaviour, active agents and determine own development
63
Token economies for criminals
token economies inside a prison system can be used to deter criminals
64
AO3 of behaviour modification
- may not be long term and any positive changes of behaviour can be lost quickly when released from prison. something like anger management can be more effective
65
what did Navaco suggest
* Cognitive factors trigger emotional arousal which causes aggressive behaviour
* Having anger and displaying anger is reinforced by the individual feeling like they have control over their actions – likely to be repeated if reinforced
66
what is anger management
• Anger management is a form of CBT – changes to the thoughts and mental processes of the individual which impacts on behaviour
67
Stage 1 - Cognitive Preparation of anger management
* Reflect on past behaviour
* What is the pattern of their behaviour and anger?
* What triggers the anger?
* Therapist helps them identify irrational thoughts and faulty processing
* Changing automatic response
68
Stage 2 - Skill Acquisition of Anger management
* Techniques are learnt
* Help deal w/situations which could trigger anger
* Cognitive, behavioural, physiological
* Learning it is possible to be in control of emotions rather than ruled by them
69
STAGE 3 – Application Practice of anger management
* Playing out what they have learnt in a controlled environment
* Re-enacting scenarios from their past with therapist
* Requires engagement from offender and trust from therapist
* Positive reinforcement from therapist
70
What did Keen et al do
• Young offenders – 17 to 21 years old
• National Anger Management Package in England and Wales prisons
• Eight 2 hour sessions (over 3 weeks & last one month later)
• Follow the steps from before
• Initial problems of offenders not taking it seriously, forgetting the routine
However, overall outcomes were positive, increased awareness of anger and improvement on self-control
71
AO3 of anger management
Anger management is not effective for all types of crimes. Someone who has committed fraud did not do it out of anger hence why anger management would be ineffective. However for a violent crime such as domestic abuse anger management can be very effective in correcting their thought processes and cognition that triggers that aggressive response.
72
Anger may not cause offending?
Loza and Loza found no difference in anger levels in violent and non-violent offenders
