Psychological explanations Forensic psychology

Homework Psychopathology and memory (2 areas) – preparing you for the exam next week Topic Tuesday: OCD Friday: report writing Four months: important you are completing your hwk/self marking/exam sessions

MOCK WEEK Intro to I&D G-bias Culture bias Holism vs. determinism Eysenck Cognitive cognitive level paper 1 Dat/Psychodynamic Custodial sentencing Dealing with O.B Intro to Gender Define/stereotypes Androgny Bio explanations   MOCK WEEK A: revision timetable psychodynamic SLT Culture and media A level paper 1 GID Intro to I&D G-bias Culture bias Holism vs. determinism Nature vs. Nurture Freewill vs. determinism Idio vs. nom A level paper 3 Ethical implications

Draw the nervous system

The major sub-divisions of the human nervous system

Spiral question: biopsychology Martha was telling her friend Sanya about her recent frightening experience. ’I was walking home by myself in the dark. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me and I realised that someone was getting closer to me. I saw a bus at the bus stop and decided to run. I don’t think I have ever moved with such speed. I leapt on the bus – shaking, sweating and my heart was beating so fast I nearly collapsed.’ Outline the role of the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system in behaviour. Refer to Martha’s frightening experience in your answer. (Total 4 marks)

Spiral answer: biopsychology The CNS includes the brain which controls higher mental functions such as decision making, and spinal cord which has a key role in transmitting information to and from the brain as well as controlling reflex behaviours. In Martha’s case her CNS (brain) helped her with decision making (…I decided to run). Her temporal lobe would have been activated when Martha processed auditory information (... I heard footsteps behind me...) and her occipital lobe would have been activated when processing visual information (I saw a bus...). The ANS controls life-maintaining processes such as heart rate as well as transmitting information to and from internal organs. In Martha’s case the sympathetic division of her ANS was activated as seen by Martha commenting on her increased heart rate (...my heart was beating so fast...).

Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: Objectives Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality; cognitive explanations; level of moral reasoning and cognitive distortions, including hostile attribution bias and minimalisation Differential association theory; psychodynamic explanations.

Eysenck’s theory sees criminal behaviour as the outcome of interactions between processes occurring at several different levels of explanation. Eysenck originally argued that the great variation between people’s personalities could be reduced to just two dimensions, which related to the underlying functioning of the individual’s nervous system. A person’s level of extraversion (E), neuroticism (N) can be measured using simple penciland-paper questionnaires such as the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).

Task: Define the following personality traits: Extrovert An extravert is sociable, impulsive, expressive and risk taking. At the other end of the continuum, introverts act in the opposite way being happy in their own company and more cautious. Neuroticism nervousness, anxiety and obsessiveness. The opposite end of the spectrum is described, as 'stable' and they would have a calm demeanour and a more carefree attitude. Psychoticism be insensitive, unemotional and lack a conscience.

Is there a Criminal Personality type? Aim: to critically explore Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality Take the Eysenck personality test http://similarminds.com/eysenck.html

How did you score?

How do the traits link to the nervous system? Personality trait Define Link with criminal behaviour (biological) Link with criminal behaviour (Social)   Extroversion Neuroticism Psychoticism

Eysenck theory of personality Innate, based on the NS we inherit Extravert: E is determined by the overall level of arousal in the person’s CNS and ANS. High E-scorers have an underactive NS (low level of arousal) and therefore need more stimulation, excitement and engagement Neurotic: high level of reactivity in the SNS (respond quickly to threat. Behave in an anxious, nervous, jumpy way. Behaviour is unpredictable According to Eysenck, E, N and P are determined largely by genetics. Each trait is normally distributed in the population. That is, most people have moderate E, N and P scores. Extreme scores are rarer and the more extreme a score, the rarer it is.

How PEN links to criminal behaviour Criminal behaviour is concerned with immediate gratification (impatient, antisocial) personality is linked to criminal behaviour via socialization processes. Eysenck viewed criminal behaviour as developmentally immature in that it is selfish and concerned with immediate gratification. The process of socialisation is one in which children are taught to become more able to delay gratification and more socially oriented. Accomplished primarily through conditioning. When children act in immature ways they are punished. Consequently, they come to associate anxiety with antisocial behaviour. Eysenck believed that people with high E and N scores had nervous systems that made them difficult to condition. As a result, they would not learn easily to respond to antisocial impulses with anxiety. Consequently, they would be more likely to act antisocially in situations where the opportunity presented itself.

Learning check Name the three personality traits proposed by Eysenck. An individual who displays behaviours such as anxiety and nervousness would be characterised as which type of personality trait? What is the biological basis for extraversion? Explain how Eysenck's theory relates to the nature-nurture debate. Explain the different reasons why individuals with different personality traits may commit a crime. What is a limitation of this explanation? Psychoticism, Extroversion, Neuroticism Neuroticim Predisposition to inherit certain traits – make it more likely for individual to inherit certain personality. Ext seek excitement (low activity in brain) In the right environment – predisposition P: lack consciouns E:sensation seekers and thrill N: high emotions when they are emotionally charged.

Outline Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality (6 marks) Are you ready…. Page 45 Outline Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality (6 marks)

personality is innate we inherit a type of nervous system that predisposes us to offending; personality varies along three dimensions – neurotic – stable, extravert – introvert, psychoticism; typical criminal type is the neurotic-extravert; neuroticism leads to unstable, unpredictable behaviour; extraversion is due to chronically under-aroused nervous system which leads to sensation seeking; extraverts do not condition easily and do not learn from mistakes; high psychoticism – cold, heartless offender; high NE scores in delinquent population, eg McGurk and McDougall (1981).

Are you ready…. Read the evaluation points on page 44 (and complete the evaluation points opposite as an extension) Complete the evaluation section of the essay (page 45) in your pack

Kohlberg’s theory

Heinz dilemma http://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html Note: The names of some of the stages in the clip are slightly different to the ones in the pack – do not worry about this, your understanding of the differences between the stages is more important.

Task Read p20 in the pack, then answer the question below:   According to Kohlberg, which level of moral reasoning is more likely to lead to offending behaviour? Explain the reason for your answer and refer to evidence. (4 marks)

Research methods Ed and Najeeb are researching the effects of individual tutorials on student wellbeing. Ed wants to carry out a laboratory experiment and collect quantitative data, whereas Najeeb feels they should use interviews to collect qualitative data. Evaluate the use of quantitative and qualitative data when conducting research into psychological issues. You must make reference to the context in your answer. (12)

Natural experiment: advantages - control all variables see the effect the IV has on the DV Disadvantages – How high they scored on measure of extr and neuro Quantitative – adv - disadv