Psychology Topic 6: Criminal Psychology

Operant conditioning

Learning from the consequences of our actions

Positive reinforcement

Reward is given for desired behaviour, so likely to repeat it

Negative reinforcement

Negative consequence removed after desired behaviour

• So likely to repeat desired behaviour to avoid negative consequence

Positive punishment

Receiving something unpleasant for an undesired behaviour, so we don’t do it again

• Negative consequence

Negative punishment

Removing something pleasant due to an undesired behaviour, so we don’t repeat the behaviour again

What does reinforcement vs punishment do?

• R: achieves a desired behaviour

• P: prevents undesired behaviour

Reinforcement

Anything that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated

Punishment

Anything that decreases the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated by using consequences

Social learning theory

Behaviour is learned by the observation + imitation of role models

Modelling

Learning a new behaviour by paying attention to, retaining + reproducing the behaviour of a role model

Observational learning

Learning new behaviours by watching + modelling a role model

Role model

A person whom we admire or share similar characteristics

Intrinsic motivation

You gain pleasure from copying ones behaviour

Vicarious reinforcement

Motivation to model the behaviour of others who we see being rewarded for their behaviour

The identification and modelling process (part of SLT)

1. Attention

2. Retention

3. Reproduction

4. Motivation

5. Identification

Monozygotic twins

• Twins developed from 1 fertilised egg that split into 2

• Genetically identical twins

Dizygotic twins

• Twins developed from 2 different fertilised eggs during the same pregnancy

• Not genetically identical twins

Personality

Characteristics and qualities that makeup someone’s character

Temperament

The nature someone is born with, which affects their behaviour

• Personality is a temperament

Extraversion

Behaviour that is outgoing, sensation-seeking + sociable

Introversion

Behaviour that is reserved, calm + quiet

Neuroticism

Nervous disposition of someone

Unstable neuroticism

Personality trait that is over-reactive in stressful situations, over-emotional + anxious

Stable neuroticism

Personality trait that in unreactive in stressful situations + emotionally unaffected

Psychoticism

Personality trait that is cold, lacks empathy to others, antisocial + aggressive

Eysenck’s personality questionnaire (EPQ)

Questionnaire to measure extraversion, introversion, stable + unstable neuroticism + psychoticism

Socialisation

The way you are raised + taught how to behave

Holism

Theory of explaining something as a whole

Sociologist

Type of researcher interested in the effects of social conditions on behaviour + societies

Recidivism

When an offender is punished for their crime but commits another crime when released

• Rate criminals re-offend

Rehabilitative

A programme designed to help offenders rather than punish them

What is likely to happen when an offender is punished in a rehabilitative way?

Decrease rates of recidivism

Detention/custody

Prison sentence

Humanitarian

A concern with the welfare of humans

Community sentencing

When an offender serves a sentence in the community rather than in prison

• They must pay back the community by doing jobs

• For minor/first offences

Examples of community service

• Voluntary/unpaid work

• Litter picking

• Removing graffiti

What may an offender be given in addition to community service?

• Curfew

• Restricted from certain areas

• Have to report to a community offender manager

What may happen if an offender doesn’t meet the requirements of a community service order?

May serve a custodial sentence in prison

Curfew

Having to be home at certain times

Why does community service have a low success rate?

• Offender can still engage in criminal activity even with curfews (not locked away) → increases chance of reoffending

• Many fail to complete CS → don’t show up, convicted for further crimes, break cerfews

Restorative justice

When a victim + offender meet

• Process used to help victim recover + make offender understand impact of their crime

What is prison described as based on operant conditioning?

Positive punishment

• Negative consequence to stop a behaviour from happening again

How is prison a form of negative reinforcement to offenders?

People will abide to the law to avoid prison

How is prison a form of positive reinforcement to offenders?

• People may purposely commit a crime

• To be put into prison

• For stability, routine, friendship

What can be used to treat convicted criminals?

• Prison

• Community service

• Restorative justice

What are the treatments to rehabilitate + reduce criminal + antisocial behaviour?

• Token economy programmes

• Anger management programs

Token economy programmes

• Designed to reward prisoners for prosocial behaviour

• Prisoners collect tokens that can be exchanged for privileges

What learning theory is token economy based on and how?

Operant conditioning

• Given tokens (rewards) for prosocial behaviour

Are tokens primary or secondary reinforcers?

Secondary

Anger management programmes

Cognitive behavioural treatment for violent offenders to help them control their anger

• Form of rehabilitation

Who are anger management programmes designed for?

Offenders who committed crimes due to anger

3 stage process of an anger management programme

1. Cognitive preparation- offender reflects on their anger

2. Skills acquisition- learns new skill to help control anger

3. Application practice- role-play to practice new skills in anger-triggering situations

What skills will a offender learn in skills aquisition?

• Relaxation techniques

• Assertiveness training- to assert their point w/o resorting to anger

Why are there mixed findings for the effectiveness of anger management to reduce recidivism?

Offenders need to be v motivated

• To practice AM skills + have good insight

• If not there —> results in programme failure

Demand characteristics

When the behaviour of participants changes bc they derive cues from experimenter about the nature of the study + conform to those expectations