Criminal Psychology

What is criminal psychology?

Investigating explanations for crime and antisocial behavior. Also considers various therapies aimed at reducing recidivism rates.

Recidivism

re-offending

Anti soical behavior

behavior that can affect others negatively e.g. hitting/swearing at someone.

self fuffiling prophecy

Known as pygmalion effect - psychological phenomenon high expectations lead to improved performance in a given area and low expectations lead to worse performance.

labeling

- General terms used to describe members of a group

- group/person often seen as inferior 

- Labels may be used on a stereotype e.g. someone born in a rough neighbourhood

- Over generalised beliefs about a group are often based on limited information 

- Effects labeled persons schemas and your own schemas.

labeling process

 Labelling + internalising + self esteem → self fulfilling prophecy 

- Once a label has been given to a group they are treated according to that label.

- Once a label is given they (person/group receiving label)  begin to internalize it. (more likely to work on people with low self esteem)

- Once a label has been given to a group or person,we begin to treat them according to that label, we expect them to behave like the label.

- So if we label someone as a criminal, we treat them as one and expect them to behave as such.

- Then they may begin to behave as one so they are living up to the label they have been given which is known as a self fulfilling prophecy.

- Once a label has been given to a group or person,we begin to treat them according to that label, we expect them to behave like the label.

- if we label someone as a criminal, we treat them as one and expect them to behave as such.

- Criminals may be influenced by the environment around them. 

- Includes upbringing, peer influence, education level and poverty

Social explanations: Labelling and Self-fulfilling prophecy: Individual differences - evaluation 

• Suggests that the explanation is deterministic of a criminal behaviour,if you are labeled negatively you live up to that label → result self fulfilling prophecy
  
  

• Not everyone lives up to the label given to them, especially if those have a high self esteem and less regard for others opinions. E.g. a child who has been raised in a criminal household may not turn to crime. However if they have a low self esteem they are more likely to believe that they can't do anything about their situation. More people are likely to label them as criminals. Makes them more likely to commit criminal acts
  
  

• Shows individual differences, not everyone who's been given a label will behave according to it.

Rosenthal + Jacobson 

Pre experiment IQ tests: at the start of the year primary students were IQ tested then randomly allocated into 2 label groups: Bloomers and Non-bloomers

Bloomers Vs Non-bloomers : the class teachers were told the children in the bloomers group were due to hit a surge in development and intelligence.

Post experimental IQ tests: 

• ALl children were IQ tested a year later

• The Bloomers had leapt ahead of the Non-bloomers 

• Teachers supported the students differently (supported the bloomers more) 

 

Self fulfilling prophecy evaluation - strengths Jahoda

• Studied ashanti tribe in ghana 

• Named boys depending on the day they were born 

• Found children that were born on wednesday (thought to be aggressive) 22% committed violent crimes

• Those born on monday (thought to be placid and quiet) committed 6.9% of the same crimes

• Suggests that labeling leads to SFP in the boys - they conform to the labels given to them.

Self fulfilling prophecy evaluation - strengths

real life application

• Adults can ensure that they don't label children negatively who may behave antisocially, instead encouraging them to act in a more prosocial way ensuring the children know they can behave better.

 

Self fulfilling prophecy evaluation - negatives

• Most of the research was conducted in a educational setting, may not apply to criminality

• A Lot of the research relies on self reports (questionnaires or interviews). SDB issues especially because this is about criminality (socially sensitive research) 

• Ethical and moral issues prevent experiments, so cause and effect cant be established. May be other variables that influence the behavior in these cases 

• Recidivism rates are around 30% → 70% do not continue to live up to label.

Self fulfilling prophecy evaluation - negatives

Zebrowitz 

• Labels work in reverse

• Boys with a babyface appear to be more delinquent and involved in crime 

• Compared to those with a “mature face” 

• Concluded that baby-faced boys overcompensate that they may be weak or child like rather than living up to the innocent/baby label.