psychological positivism PDF

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psychodynamic model, behavioural theories, cognitive theories, mental illness...

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Explaining criminal behaviour Lecture 8 Psychological positivism 2 Positivist criminology  Look for differences between criminals and non-criminal populations  Both biological and psychological traits are seen as one factor which may increase the likelihood of criminality Psychological theories of crime  Psychodynamic model  Personality traits  Behavioural theories  Psychopathy  Cognitive theory  Mental illness Psychodynamic Model  Development of the Unconscious personality in childhood influences behaviour for the rest of a persons life  Criminals have weak conscience and mental disturbance Behavioural theories  People commit crime when they model their behaviour after others they see being rewarded for the same act  Classical (Pavlov) and operant (Skinner)  Behaviour is reinforced by rewards and extinguished by punishment Cognitive theories  Individual reasoning processes influence behaviour  Kohlberg’s moral stages o Pre-conventional: follows rules to avoid punishment o Conventional: Lives up to expectations of others. Fulfils duties and obligations of social system (teens – 25)  Criminals don’t develop past this stage o Post-conventional: Follows self-chosen principles of justice and what is right. Acts in independent and ethical manner regardless of expectations (older, comes with age)  Criminality is a defect in moral thinking, thought processes and mental development Personality traits  Certain personality types are more prone to criminal behaviour  Hostility, egoism, self-centredness, spitefulness, jealousy, and lack of empathy for others  Lack of ambition, difficulty controlling temper, more likely to have unconventional beliefs

Psychopathy

Explaining criminal behaviour   

Psychopaths are impulsive, low levels of guilt, and frequently violate the rights of others Justify their actions to themselves so they always appear reasonable and justified Approx. 30% of all prison inmates in the US are psychopaths

Mental illness  Mental disturbance or illness may be a root or underlying cause of violent behaviour  Mental health issues may put young people at risk of engaging in violent behaviour The criminal mind  Criminal profiling: also known as offender profiling – the process of linking an offenders actions to their most likely characteristics to help police investigators narrow down likely suspects  Sybil & Hans Eysenck: o Developed theory of human personality based on psychological tendencies to behaviour o Argued for the existence of a criminal personality o Claimed that criminals were different to non-criminals o UK school of criminal profiling o Extrovert/introvert o Unstable emotions – neuroticism  Yochelson & Samenow o Influenced by psychodynamic model o Interviewed over 200 prisoners to identify their thinking styles o Little evidence for unconscious mechanisms o Considerable evidence for distorted thinking styles that gave rise to crime o Criminal personality is restless, irritable and dissatisfied o US school  Investigative psychology o David Canter – limitations of offender profiling  Subjective opinion of psychologist o Coined term investigative psych and began to approach the subject from a ‘more scientific point of view’  Pros and cons of Criminal profiling:  Useful information  Victim protection  Resource for serious crime  Help solve investigations  No physical description x Based on assumptions x Not based on facts x Relies on generalisations x Based on consistency x Limited methods x Employ unclear language

Explaining criminal behaviour

Famous cases cracked by psychologists  Ted Bundy  John Wayne Gacy  Aileen Wurornos  Andrei Chikatilo Limitations: 1. Lack of a social perspective 2. May only be true of the ones caught and convicted 3. Discusses crime as if it is a homogenous behaviour 4. Wrongly implies that crim personality is fixed and immutably antisocial Reductionism – psychological positivism...