Module 7: Psychological theories of Crime

Question 1

General theories

Answer 1

provide explanations for most crime, committed by most people, most of the time. these theories often argue that despite variations in who commits crime and when there is an underlying general cause

Question 2

Typological theories

Answer 2

premised on there being different precursors and pathways to offending, leads to development of typologies for offenders, offences and victims

Question 3

Criminology theory development

Answer 3

single factor reductionism
multiple factor approaches
systemic reductionism
integrated and interdisplinary apporaches

Question 4

Single factor reductionism (1876 - mid 1920)

Answer 4

commenced with lombroso’s criminal man and emphasised how internal characteristics caused criminal behaviour

Question 5

Multiple factor approach (1940-1960)

Answer 5

somewhat atheorectical in approach

focussed on discovering what factor predicted offending

Question 6

systemic reductionism (1950 - today)

Answer 6

refers to attempts to reduce explanations for crime to a single disciplinary system largely dominated by sociological explanations

Question 7

integrated or mutlidisciplinary theories

Answer 7

dominates current thinking

recognises that crime is diverse and requires input from multiple disciplines to understand it

Question 8

Heredity: central premise

Answer 8

genetic variations are linked to criminality
based on twin and adoption studies, that found that monozygotic twins are very likely to have the same traits and behaviours

Question 9

Neurobiological development

Answer 9

neurobiological changes which occur over the life course may increase or decrease risk for involvement in crime

Question 10

Neurological impariment

Answer 10

may result from many environmental factors including alcohol and drug consumption , exposure to toxins, acquired brain injuries, that can heighten risk of offending

Question 11

Damage to brain

Answer 11

particular area damage can may result in significant changes that can increase risk of offending

Question 12

evolution - central premise

Answer 12

members of a species are designed to ensure theri genes survive

Question 13

R/K theory

Answer 13

describes 2 different reproduction

Question 14

R strategists

Answer 14

possess characteristic correlated with antisocial behaviour, males with multiple partners to produce multiple offspring

Question 15

K Strategists

Answer 15

characteristics are cooperative, self controlled, have fewer partners and are more invested in offspring

Question 16

Behavioural theories of crime

Answer 16

focuses on how behaviour is learnt
2 main theories
classical conditioning
operant conditioning

Question 17

Classical conditioning

Answer 17

explains how accidental or unplanned associations between 2 stimuli results in learned associations

• occur by chance and outside conscious awareness
• results in powerful emotions and behaviours we cant always explain

Question 18

How classical conditioning works

Answer 18

an unconditioned stimulus produces an unconditioned response

Question 19

Neutral stimulus: Classical conditioning

Answer 19

produces no special response

Question 20

Neutral stimulus pair with unconditioned stimulus: Classical Conditioning

Answer 20

neutral stimulus elicits unconditioned response in absence of unconditioned stimulus

Question 21

conditioned stimulus: Classical Conditioning

Answer 21

a neutral stimulus that by itself produces a response

Question 22

Conditioned response: Classical Conditioning

Answer 22

when an unconditioned response occurs in response to conditioning stimulus

Question 23

Operant Conditioning

Answer 23

explains how behaviour is shaped by receiving reinforcments and punishments
reinforcements increase likelihood that behaviour is repeated
punishment serve to decrease behaviour repeating
can be positive or negative

Question 24

Positive reinforcement: Operant Conditioning

Answer 24

positive or pleasurable stimulus received in response to performing the behaviour (receiving praise for a good job)

Question 25

Negative reinforcement: Operant Conditioning

Answer 25

removal of an aversive stimulus in response to performing a behaviour (example: putting on sunscreen to avoid getting sunburnt)

Question 26

Positive and Negative reinforcements

Answer 26

serve to increase behaviour repeating

Question 27

Positive punishment: Operant Conditioning

Answer 27

unpleasant or aversive stimulus received after performing the behaviour (example: you are late for work so you speed, and because of this you get a speeding ticket)

Question 28

Negative Punishment: Operant conditioning

Answer 28

removal of a positive stimulus in response to behaviour (example: two children fight over toy so teacher takes toy away)

Question 29

Social Learning theory

Answer 29

combines learning from behavioural theories with cognitive psychology behavioural theories are stimulus - response explanations

Question 30

Modelling: Social Learning theory

Answer 30

key component of social learning theory | people model a range of behaviours

Question 31

Vicarious learning: social Learning theory

Answer 31

people pay attention to consequences that a model incurs for performing a behaviour linked to operant conditioning anticipated consequences can be internalised become self reinforcing

Question 32

Situational theories

Answer 32

behaviour is a function of individual characteristics interacting with the situation. focus on situations within which people find themselves

Question 33

Rational Choice Theory

Answer 33

see people as rational decision makers that acts on the basis of calculated costs and benefits situation provides valuable info about the likely benefits and costs of engaging in criminal behaviour - believes that offending is more likely to occur when perceived benefits outweights perceived costs

Question 34

situational precipitators

Answer 34

situations exert pressure on people to non consciously behave in particular ways. the 4 ways in which situations exert their influence upon behaviour are: prompts pressure Permit Provoke

Question 35

Prompts: Situational Precipitators

Answer 35

situations can present prompts to engage in particular behaviour

Question 36

Pressure: Situational Precipitators

Answer 36

situations can exert social pressures upon people to act in a particular way

Question 37

Permit: Situational Precipitators

Answer 37

situations can provide permissions to people to act illegally because they weaken moral controls

Question 38

Provoke: Situational Precipitators

Answer 38

situations changed with emotions can arouse and provoke people to respond in illegal ways

Question 39

Person-Situation typologies

Answer 39

situational theories generally ignore individual differences within people which may serve to increase or decrease likelihood that situational factors will effect behaviour

Question 40

3 types of individuals which environment will differently exert an influence

Answer 40

antisocial predators mundane offenders provoked offenders

Question 41

Antisocial predators

Answer 41

actively seek opportunities to offend and are continually weighing costs and benefits of offending in situations

Question 42

Mundane offenders

Answer 42

generally resist temptations to offend but will occasionally take criminal opportunities when they are present

Question 43

Provoked offenders

Answer 43

commit crime in response to a situational provocation such as frustration.

Question 44

social ecological theory

Answer 44

behaviour can be influenced by the multiple systems within which people are located - individual ecosystems - family - friends - community each system exerts influence over the persons behavior

Question 45

ecological systems

Answer 45

risk factors for delinquency can occur in each system

Question 46

mental illness and crime

Answer 46

people with mental illness are more likely to be victims or be of risk to themselves than others

Question 47

hallucinations

Answer 47

hallucinations have been linked to a increased risk of offending

Question 48

Behavioural features of psychopathy

Answer 48

antisocial parasitic lifestyle pathological lying

Question 49

Personality features of psychopathy

Answer 49

callousness lack of empathy lack of remorse

Question 50

psychopathy criteria

Answer 50

only a small amount of offenders meet diagnostic criteria for psychopathy

Question 51

profiling

Answer 51

try to determine likely characteristics of offenders from scene and behaviour

Question 52

interpersonal circle

Answer 52

theory of behaviour in social interactions describes behaviour in 2 dimensions : control and affiliation a person is either dominant or submissive and is either cooperative or hostile