Studies in forensic psychology Flashcards
(29 cards)
what is some evidence that opposes the disorganised type?
Canter et al (2004)
analysed data from 100 murders in US
findings suggest distinct organised type, but not disorganised
what is some evidence to support geographical profiling?
Lundrigan and Canter
meta analysis - 120 murder cases w/ serial killers in US
revealed spatial consistency in behaviour of offenders
what was a failure of profiling?
Rachel Nickel
police wrongly arrested Colin Stagg
Robert Napier finally convicted - previously ruled out as was taller than profile
what did Lombroso suggest?
theory of atavistic form - criminals as evolutionary throwback
what is some evidence that contradicts Lombroso?
Goring
compared 300 criminals and 3000 nin-criminals -> no evidence that criminals have distinct characteristics
what is some evidence to support the neural explanation of criminality
Raine
compared 27 psychopaths & 32 non-psychopaths
-> psychopaths = 18% vol reduction in amygdala, thinning of cortex & 11% reduction in grey matter
What did Keysers investigate?
mirror neurons - empathy
asked criminals to empathise and could - mirror neurons activated
what did Virkkunen et al research?
violent criminal - violence was compulsions - had lower levels of serotonin than criminals who’s crimes were planned
what did Beggars et al find?
there’s a serotonergic dysfunction linked to criminal behaviour
what is the Mobley Defense?
stephen mobley convicted of murder & executed for killing John Collins - defence attorney suggested Mobley was genetically predisposed to violence
what did Brunner study?
violence in fmaily w/ genetic abnormality
Netherlands
all males had low IQ & abnormally violent behaviour
Gene = MAOA - breaks down dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline
what is an example of a twin study?
Christiansen: 87 monozygotic twins & 147 dizygotic
33% MZ concordance rate
12% DZ criminal concordance rate
what is some evidence to support the genetic explanation?
Mendick et al
adoption study
14427 danish adoptees
13.5% crim w/ no crim parent
14.7% crim w/ at elast 1 crim parent
20% crim with at least on bio crim parent
24.5% crim w/ 1 crim adoptive parent & 1 crim adoptive parent
what is the Eyesenk personalisty?
assessed 2070 male prisoners
compared to control group of 2422 males
prisoners had higher scores in extraversion, neurotocism & psychotocism
what did Kohlberg theorise?
theory of moral reasoning
criminals have lower moral reasoning -> pre-conventional -> seek to avoid punishment & gain rewards
what is some evidence to support the theory of moral reasoning?
palmer & hollin
compared moral reasoning between 210 female non-offenders & 126 convicted offender using socio-moral reflection measure -> social dilemma related questions
what did Schonenberg & Justye study?
hostile attribution bias
55 offenders presented w/ emotionally ambiguous faces
offender more likely to perceive faces as hostile
who investigated minimalisation?
Barbaree
among 26 convicted rapists
54% denied they had committed offence
40% minimised harm dome to victim
what did Pollock and Hashmall find?
35% of sample of child molesters said crime was non-sexual
36% said victim had consented
what did Sutherland propose?
Differential association theory
learn criminal behaviour & attitudes
attempted to set scientific principles to offending
what is some evaluation of the differential association theory?
Farrington et al
cambridge study in delinquent development
411 boys - longitudinal study - began when they were 8
41% convicted of at least 1 crime in 10-50 yrs
7% = chronic offenders
who proposed the psychodynamic expanation?
Freud
inadequate superego = guilt
How is Bowbly linked to the psychodynamic approach?
Bowlby’s theory of Maternal Deprivation
1944 - 44 thieves study. 17 & 14
what’s some evidence to support token economies?
Cohen & Filipczak
token economy groups showed more desirable behaviour than controls
after 2 yrs, token economy groups were less likely to have reoffended
however, after 3 yrs, recidivism returned to normal
