Psychology Forensics : Hostile attribution bias

What is hostile attribution bias?

IT a cognative bias where a person interprets neutral or ambiguous behaviour as hostile or threatening

This helps explain impulsive agression

How does attribution bias influence behaviour?

People with hostil attribution bias constantly expect confrontation , so they respond with aggression , even when no threat exists

Leading to unnecessary conflict

What is an example of hostile attribution bias in everyday life?

An accidental bump in a pub or a neutral glance me be misread as provocation , triggering aggression

Shows hostile attribution bias escalates minor events

Why is hostile attribution bias linked to criminal behaviour?

Becouse misinterpreting harmless actions as threats increases the likelihood of violent or confrontational responses

Explains reactive aggression in offenders

What is minimalisation inc riminal cognition?

When offenders downplay the seriousness of their crime to reduce guilt, shame or responsibility

A form of self deception

How does minimalisation work as a cognative bias?

Offenders reframe their actions as less harmful , justified or not their fault , allowing thme to avoid blame

Maintains their self image

Minimalisation and HAB are both cognitive distortions, and they often work together in offenders.

HAB makes someone misinterpret others’ behaviour as hostile, while minimalisation helps them justify their aggressive response afterwards by downplaying their own responsibility.

What is an example of minimalisation in property crime?

A shoplifer saying “shop overcharges anyway - im not hurtin anyone”

Reduces the perceived harm

What is an example of minimalisation in drug dealing?

A dealer claiming “people choose to take druge, im just supplying what they want”

Shifts responsibility to victims

How do sex offenders use minimalisation?

They blame the vicrim or claim the abuse was “positive” or “consentsual” (Kennedy and Grubin)

Shows extreme denial and distortion

What did Pollock and Hashmall find about conitive distortions?

Studying 86 child molesters , they found ove one third reframed their absuse as consensual, showing strong minimalsiation and denial

Demonstrates distorted thinking in sex offenders

What did Henning et al find about intimate partners abuse?

In a sample of 1267 men and 159 women , both genders showed high levels of minimisation, denial and victim blaming, often placing more blame on the partner than themselves

Cognitive distortions are common across offender types

How can understanding congnitive distortions help treatment?

IT informs interventions : offenders with low empathy use distortions so empathy based programmes can reduce reoffending (Catrwight and Craig)

Therfore there is practical application

How can cognitive distortions help predict reoffending?

IF an offender still shows denial , minimalsiation or no remorse , they may be less rehabilitated and more likely to reoffend

Useful for risk assesment

Why is mesuring cognative distortions difficult?

They rely on self report which is biased by social desirability , lying and self serving bias

Reduces validity

Why do cognitive distortions lack explanatory power?

They describe how offenders think but not why they developed theses distorted thoughts in the first place

Weak explanatory depth

Why are cognitive distoritions explanations socially sensitive?

They risk excusing or oversimplifying serious crimes, especially sexual or violent offences

Raisies ethical concerns

can make it seem as though offenders are not fully responsible for their actions. This risks excusing or downplaying serious crimes, especially violent or sexual offences, and may shift attention away from the victim’s harm.

How do cognitive distortions relate to determinism ?

They imply offenders act aggressively becouse of autonomic biased thinking, reducing the role of free will

Conflicts with legal responsibility

How may cognative distortion explanations affect victims?

They may shift focus away from victims harm , risking minimisation of trama or blame shifting

Making it ethically problematic