a complete summary on criminological psychology, covering all points in the Edexcel specification.
evaluation in terms of strengths and weaknesses for each explanation and treatment.
highlighted key terminology.
bullet points to aid recall.
additional explanations/treatments supplied for use...
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purpose
Answer: to ensure scientific work is of high quality
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function 1
Answer: researcher read others\' studies and keep in touch with new ways of thinking and arising scientific developments = knowledge grows through sharing of information
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function 2
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purpose of critical appraisal
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what is critical appraisal?
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function 3
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function 4
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function 5
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purpose of research rating
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Content preview
CRIMINOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGY
___
Notes
Inter disciplines of psych., criminology + crim. justice
Studies offenders & offending bhv to improve investigation of crime by adding psych.
component
Crim. justice processes: identification & judgement, treatment programmes in community /
prisons to rehabilitate crim. + prevent recidivism
Investigate accuracy of eyewitness testimony & courtroom procedures
Bio expl.
BRAIN INJURY
Traumatic : directly as result of trauma on brain
Eg. accident, falls, illness (stroke/tumour)
Alcohol has toxic effect on CNS and interferes with absorption of vitamin B1 = impair balance +
decision-making = increase in fails / accidents injuring brain
Consequences dependent on area of brain injured
Personality / bhv untypical of person pre-trauma
Pre-frontal cortex most at risk from TBI (assess risk & determine appropriate (emotional)
response)
Damage PFC: aggr. response to “threat” = assault, social disorder offences
At young age: inability to learn appropriate social bhv & interpret bhv
,Supporting evidence
Williams et al. (2010): 60% 196 prisoners had traumatic brain injury due to falling, car
accidents, sports activities.
- Younger at entry into prison systems
- Higher rates of repeat offending
Injuries affect development of temperament, temperance (abstinence from drinking), social
judgement, control impulses
Kreutzer et al. (1991): unable to prove / disprove cause-and-effect btw traumatic BI &
violence
20% of 74 patients arrested pre-injury , 10% post-injury
Most arrests after alcohol use / drugs
Criminal bhv result of post-injury changes eg. poor judgement
Substance abuse, TBI & crime interconnected but can’t say caused violence
Substance abuse most common in -35yrs old →legal difficulties & TBI
Without substance use history, TBI was not risk factor for criminal bhv
Other explanations
Other comorbid conditions = complex which contributes to offending bhv (multitude of factors)
Eg. substance misuse, pre-existing personality disorders, exposed to early violence
Usefulness
Scanning techniques =more info to support nature side of crim. bhv
Testability
,Correlational studies: can’t establish cause and effect
AMYGDALA
➢ Integrative centre for emotional response, bhv & motivation
➢ Fear conditioning
➢ +ve emotional learning
➢ Trigger fight or flight response
➢ Overrides rational part: lL think in rational manner
➢ Increased activity in right side = increased impulsive violent bhv
➢ Damage: unable to prevent acting spontaneously in aggr. way
➢ Poor development = issues with fear conditioning
Fail to learn -ve consequences of anti-social bhv = no fear of being caught & good bhv
pleasurable = problems with impulse control
Supporting evidence
Pardini et al. (2014):smaller in psychopathic personalities & high aggression evident from
childhood →3x mL to exhibit aggr., violence, psychopathic features 3yrs later
Amygdala size can predict future violence
Yu Gao (2010): fear conditioning in 1800 3yrs old in 1990 traced after 20 yrs
Crim. history failed to show fear conditioning in original testing
=deficits in amygdala at age 3 predicted crim. bhv at age 23
Raine (1997): 41 NGRIs with range of mental illness had PET scans and CPT for 30 mins
NGRIs: lower levels of glucose metabolism in prefrontal cortex (linkt to impulsivity) and in left
amygdala (inhibits aggr.)
Higher activity in right amygdala (increased aggr.)
, Narabayashi et al.(1963): psychosurgery on humans with aggr. bhv by severing amygdala from
limbic system = mood-stabilising effect in the majority
Challenging evidence
Structural abnormalities →psychopathy, not necessarily →aggr. & criminality
James Fallon identified own brain as psychopath using MRIs but was not criminal
Eg. lack of empathy suitable for high-level management positions
Eg. lack of fear & need for stimulation entices them to engage in extreme sports
= Brain structure can’t be only factor that makes psychopaths
SHAM RAGE
Cannon and Britton (1925): severed neural connections to cortex of cats (“decorticate”)
Provoked: rage + aggr. (erect hair, growling, baring of teeth) without cognitive
influence /inhibitory control of cerebral cortex
Source of rage from temporal region -amygdala
Stimulated: aggr.
Ablated / removed: placid
=amygdala role in production of hostile bhv
Lack generalisability to humans b/C no capacity to inhibit aggr. with higher order thinking
Other explanations
Reductionist: focus only on role of amygdala within aggr., underplaying complex nature +
interrelationship btw parts of brain
Usefulness
Scanning techniques = more info to support nature side of crim. bhv
Testability
Reliable & objective brain scans
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