Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Forensic Psychology > Risk Assessment & Psychopathy > Flashcards

Risk Assessment & Psychopathy Flashcards

(64 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

A man was convicted of murdering his husband. Which psychopathy measure would he use?

A

The Hare Psychopathy Checklist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

True or False: Most offenders who meet diagnostic for APD would also for psychopathy

A

False

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the best definition for response modulation deficit theory?

A

Difficulty changing one’s behaviour in response to environmental feedback/cues

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Mildred is extremely quiet and shy, does not like going out (Introvert) - Is she considered possibly having antisocial personality disorder?

A

No!!

This is considered Asocial behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

True or false: Most offenders who meet diagnostic criteria for psychopathy wouldn’t meet criteria for APD

A

False

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Psychopaths and offenders who score high on measures on psychopathy are more likely to commit ______________ violence and homicide

A

Instrumental

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

In a study of jurors, Mock jurors were most likely to render death sentences to ________________________

A

Those described as psychopathic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

True or False: Research suggests that psychopaths have difficulty identifying inappropriate behaviours in social settings

A

False - They know, they just do not care

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

True or false: Research suggests that treatment for psychopaths do not work/make it worse

A

False

More promising recent research

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What type of sexual offenders score higher on psychopathy?

A

Mixed sexual offenders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Two Components of risk assessment

A
  1. Prediction: Probability that individual will commit future criminal/violent acts
    - Identify risk factors
  2. Management: How to treat/manage likelihood of risk
    - Interventions, treatments, conditions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

True negative prediction

A

Correct prediction

Predicted not to reoffend, doesn’t reoffend

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

False negative prediction

A

Incorrect

Predicted not to reoffend, Reoffends

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

False Positive prediction

A

Incorrect

Predicted to reoffend, does not

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

True Positive Prediction

A

Correct

Predicted to reoffend, reoffends

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Approaches to Risk Assessment

A

Unstructured clinical judgement

Actuarial prediction

Structured professional judgement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Unstructured Clinical Judgement

A
  • Professional discretion
  • Lack of guidelines
  • No specific risk factors, sources of information
  • Vary across clinicians/cases
  • Subjective conclusion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Actuarial Prediction

A
  • Form of mechanical production
  • eliminate human judgement
  • Specific, measurable variables/risk factors
  • Static, stable factors

E.g. V-RAG

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What does V-RAG stand for?

A

Violent Risk Apraissal Guide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Structured Professional Judgement

A
  • Clinician guided by predetermined set of risk factors
  • Variables selected from research
  • Assess presence/severity of each factor
  • final risk level = Evaluator’s ultimate judgement
  • evidence-based practice
  • Still discretion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Types of Risk Factors

A

Static

  • Do not fluctuate over time
  • no amount of treatment will change
  • E.g. age of first arrest, being a victim of SA

Dynamic

  • Fluctuate over time
  • Can be changed
  • E.g. Substance used, attitudes towards women
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

More specific types of risk-factors

A

Historical

Dispositional risk factors

Clinical risk

Situational/Contextual risk factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Historical Risk Factors

A
  • Same thing as static
  • Events experiences in the past

e.g. Employment problems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Dispositional Risk factors

A
  • Person’s traits, attitudes, demographic factors
  • E.g. poor impulse control, easily angered
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Clinical Risk Factors
- Relevant symptoms of mental disorders - E,g, Delusions, persuasive lying
26
Situational/Contextual Risk Factors
- Current environmental factors that increase risk - E.g. Access to weapons, lack of social support
27
Psychopathy is...
- Personality disorder - Interpersonal, affective, behavioural traits - lack of remorse/empathy - Impulsive - Antisocial behaviours - NOT IN DSM-5
28
Mask of Sanity - 1976
- Early examination into it - Doctor - Able to "mask" lack of empathy/genuine emotions - Relevant today
29
PCL-R
- Hare Psychopathy Checklist-revised - 20-item scale, semi-structured interview and review of file - 0 to 40, 30+ = high psychopathic tendency - Not an official diagnosis - Good for forensic use, not clinical
30
Two factors: PCL-R
1. Interpersonal (charm, grandiosity) and affective deficiencies (Lack of empathy) 2. Antisocial tendencies/criminal behaviour (Impulsivity/lying & violence)
31
Psychopathy and Self-Report
3 issues - Lying - Insufficient insight (May not consider themselves arrogant, dominant etc) - Specific emotions (May mistake regret for remorse)
32
APD in DSM-5
Persistent pattern of behaviour in which others rights are violated
33
APD in DSM-5: Requirements
1. Disregard for rights of others 2. 18+ 3. Conduct disorder prior to age 15 4. Antisocial behaviours not due to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
34
APD and Offenders
80% of adult offenders have APD
35
Offenders and Psychopathic tendencies
10-25% Not nearly as common as APD
36
Nearly all psychopaths have....
APD
37
Most with APD are not _______________
Psychopaths
38
APD symptoms are strongly related to...
Behavioural features of psychopathy **Not as related to interpersonal/affective**
39
Dangerous offenders
Very rare Indeterminate sentence Cannot safely be placed back in community Pattern of serious offences
40
Are Forensic experts biased to the side that retained them?
Yes!! - Prosecution saw significantly higher risk/scores on PCL-R "hired gun"
41
Psychopathy and Capital trial
Mock jury study Capital trial, sentencing phase Psychopathic --> 60% No Disorder --> 38% Psychotic --> 30%
42
Psychopathy & Offending
- Begin criminal career earlier - More violent offences - Wider variety of violent offences **Don't seem to commit homicide more often**
43
Instrumental Violence
- Premeditated - Controlled - Goal-oriented
44
Reactive Violence
Impulsive Response to threat Emotional
45
Nature of Psychopaths Scores and type of violence
- Higher PCL-R for instrument vs reactive - Recent meta-analysis --> psychopathy does not seem to relate to one type of violence
46
Psychopaths more likely to target....
Strangers
47
Psychopaths engage in more ________ murders more frequently
Cold-blooded
48
Clifford Olsen
- Beast of BC - Murdered 11 children and teens - "Cash for bodies" 30,000 for currently known murders 10,000 for each subsequent victim Refused to show reemorse Taunted victims families (poetry and parole hearings)
49
Chris Olsen --> PCL-R
38/40 Highest score the psychiatrist had given Used for geo profiling Able to predict his general neighbourhood
50
True or False: Psychopaths are highly intelligent
False No reliable relationship between personality and IQ
51
Psychopathy and Verbal intelligence
inc. psychopathy and lower verbal intelligence
52
Psychopaths in thencommunity
Rare in general population 0.6% of sample Women score significantly lower than men
53
Paul Babiak --> Psychopathy in Large Companies
- Manipulate key players in organization - Cause tension between others - Gaining/spreading info about other employees - Blame others for failure - 5% scored above 30
54
What does psychopathy in large companies look like?
More engaged in strategic thinking, stronger communication skills Poorer performance appraisals, worse management skills
55
Psychopathy --> employees in large companies
- Higher psychopathic traits - More likely to use laissez-faire (Do not care what is going on) - Less likely to use positive leadership style
56
Psychopathy and Recividism
Psychopaths more likely to recividate than non-psychopaths More likely to offend sexually and violently
57
Youth and Psychopathy: Effects of labelling
Negative connotations Influences number of decisions
58
Youth and Psychopathy: Stability of psychopathic traits
Moderately stable
59
Youth and Psychopathy: Psychopathic Traits
Common in normally level in developing youth? Impulsivity Grandiosity
60
Stability Of Psychopathic traits in youth - Study
Adolescents and adults Administer PCL-R over 2 years Youth scores less stable youths initial scores weakly related to psychopathy classifications two years later
61
Psychopathic Youth and Treatment
Appear to be more responsive to treatment than adults Youth offenders with very high PCL-R scores Treatment centre vs correctional Treatment centre --> 2x less likely to reoffend
62
Psychopathy Theories
Response Modulation Deficit Theory Affective/Emotional defecit
63
Response Modulation Deficit Theory
- Psychopaths don't properly change behaviour in response to particular cues - Focus on particular goal --> can't shift attention towards peripheral signals - Cues that typically inhibit antisocial behaviour (anxiety deterring cheating on an exam) - Psychopathy as attention-related disorder
64

Forensic Psychology (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions