Unit 3 Criminal Psychology → January 2020 MS

6a) Define what is meant by the term ‘anti-social behavior’

When someone acts → in a way that harasses/causes distress → to one or more people

6b) Describe which behavior the police would investigate as a criminal offence

Police would investigate → throwing of a brick @ Dwayne’s car → as a criminal offence

• Neighbor → caused damage to Dwayne’s property → breaks law

7a) Complete Table 2 and calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient

D² total = 224

• 1 - 6(224)/9(9²-1)

  • 1 - 1344/720

    = -0.87 (2dp)

7b) Explain one weakness of using a correlational research method to investigate attractiveness and length of sentencing

Correlational data → only finds relationship → between attractiveness of offender + length of their conviction → does not state → that one results in the other

• Researchers cannot be certain → if there is cause-and-effect → between variables of attractiveness + sentencing

7c) Explain one improvement that the researchers could make to this study

Researchers → can record nature of the crime → person is being sentenced for → to compare against attractiveness scores + length of sentence

• Allows them → to consider wider range of factors → that can influence sentencing → when drawing conclusions together

8) Describing, using social learning theory, how the television series may be influencing Cassie’s behavior

• Social learning from media → suggests Cassie will imitate behavior of RM → she sees in TV series

• Will have identified with RM → most likely female criminal→ from TV series

• Cassie will observe behavior + remember what she has seen → characters do → in the series

  • Reproduce behavior → that she has paid attention to → in her work place → by shouting @ her boss

• May feel she is being rewarded → with power/control → for her behavior → will continue to behave aggressively → for further reinforcement

9) Assess the credibility of the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Intro)

Aim → to investigate → whether leading questions → would influence estimates of vehicle speeds → among eyewitnesses

9) Assess the credibility of the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) (1)

45 undergraduate students → grouped + showed seven film segments → each involving road traffic incident

• Ppts. recruited → through opportunity sampling

  • Undergrads → may not be representative → of varied ages → across general population

    • Estimated speeds given → may not be trustworthy measure → of experienced drivers

9) Assess the credibility of the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) (2)

Road traffic accident film segments → combined real-life + staged accidents

• Clips = 5-30 seconds → in duration

  • Segments of video → that were staged accidents = allowed researchers to check → estimated speeds → against actual speeds

    • Results in convincing data → that supports conclusions

9) Assess the credibility of the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) (3)

@ End of each film segment ppts. completed questionnaire → asking them to give accounts of accident + series of specific questions

• Witnesses to traffic incident = usually interviewed after event → not given questionnaire

  • Test of EWT recall → not believable → in real life situations → lack of task validity

9) Assess the credibility of the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) (4)

Critical question → about speed of vehicle → where verb used = changed

• E.g. smashed/bumped/contacted → in place of ‘hit’

  • Effect of verb change → applied to integrity of police interview techniques → through cognitive interview techniques

    • Results are used → in real world applications

10) Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a therapy for offenders (1)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) → aims to change thought processes → that underpin behaviour + actions of offenders

• Involves tracking behaviours + symptoms + experiences → that negatively affect → client’s life

  • Changing thought processes → may not be effective → where cause of offending behaviour = ASPD

    • ASPD = has biological backing → therefore CBT = NOT biological treatment

10) Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a therapy for offenders (2)

CBT requires commitment → by the offender → to complete tasks → e.g. homework + reflective diaries → about their thoughts

• Commitment helps clients → practice + refine skills → learned through these tasks → leading to long-term benefits

  • Offenders = may want to change behaviours → to rehabilitate themselves + prevent recidivism

    • CBT → would be an effective therapy

10) Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a therapy for offenders (3)

CBT = therapy that can be continued → by the offender → after therapy sessions are completed → giving them self-help strategies

• These strategies → can be applied independently → to manage future stressors/emotional difficulties

  • Lipsey (2009) → analyzed 548 studies → found CBT = more effective → in reducing further criminal activity → than any other intervention

    • CBT = proved to be effective

10) Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a therapy for offenders (4)

During therapy → offenders may undertake role play → to act out scenarios → where they could offend → in order to find alternative ways → to manage situations

• Awareness of triggers → enables them to develop strategies → to manage emotions → before aggression escalates

  • Howells et al. (2005) → CBT did not significantly reduce → aggression in offenders

    • May not be effective → for violent crimes → e.g. assault/sexual crimes