Psychology of Criminal Behavior Dr Lainey Richardson Licensed

Psychology of Criminal Behavior Dr. Lainey Richardson Licensed Psychologist Clinical Director Metro RYDC/ Gwinnett RYDC

Introduction to Criminal Behavior n The Conformity Perspective n n The Nonconformist Perspective n n The Strain Theory Social Control Theory The Learning Perspective Social Learning Theory n Differential Association Theory n

Perspectives in Criminology n Sociology Criminology Situational/environmental factors n Unequal power balance n n Psychological Criminology Forensic psychology n Developmental approach n n Cognitions; dispositions; traits

Perspectives in Criminology n Psychiatric Criminology n n Biochemical & Neurological Approach Psychoanalytic Tradition n Explains behavior in terms of motives and drives

Developmental Risk Factors n Social Risk Factors Poverty n Peer rejection and Antisocial peers n How early does it start? n n Parental & Family Risk Factors Single-Parent Households n Parental styles and practices n

Developmental Risk Factors n Psychological Risk Factors Cognitive and language deficiencies n IQ and ethnicity n ADHD n Conduct Disorder n n Gender Differences

Developmental Risk Factors n Developmental Theories of Delinquency n Moffitt’s Developmental Theory Life-course-persistent (LCP) offenders n Adolescent-limited (AL) offenders n n Coercion Developmental Theory

Origins of Criminal Behavior: Biological Factors n Genetics and Antisocial Behavior Twin Studies n Twin Studies and criminal behavior: recent research n Adoption Studies n

Biological Factors n Environmental Risk Factors Birth complications n Nicotine, alcohol & drug exposure n Brain development n Neuropsychological factors n

Biological Factors n Eysenck’s Theory of Personality & Crime n Extraversion n n Reticular Activating System Neuroticism n Limbic System

Biological Factors n Crime & Conditionability Classical Conditioning n Operant Conditioning n Social learning n

Learning & Situational Factors n Behaviorism n John B. Watson n n Based on Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning B. F. Skinner Operant Conditioning n Reinforcement n n n Positive Negative Positive Punishment Negative Punishment

Learning & Situational Factors n n Operant Learning and Crime Social Learning Theory Expectancy Theory: Julian Rotter n Imitation: Albert Bandura n

Learning & Situational Factors n Frustration-Induced Criminality n n Socialized & Individual Offender: Berkowitz Situational Instigators and Regulators of Criminal Behavior In the wrong place at the wrong time? n Fundamental Attribution error n n Them vs. us?

Learning & Situational Factors n Authority as an Instigator to Criminal Behavior n Crimes of Obedience n n Deindividuation n n Stanley Milgram’s “shock” research Philip Zimbardo: Car/Prison experiments Moral Disengagement n Albert Bandura

Human Aggression and Violence n Definition: Hostile and Instrumental Aggression n Interpretation by the victim n n Theoretical Perspectives on Aggression: n Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic View

Human Aggression and Violence n Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis John Dollard n Leonard Berkowitz n n n Weapons effect Displaced Aggression theory n The “trickle down” theory

Human Aggression and Violence n Social Learning Factors in Aggression & Violence n Bandura: Modeling or observational learning n n n Reinforcement of aggressive behavior? Types of models? Cognitive Models of Aggression n Cognitive Scripts Model Hostile Attribution Bias Aggressive Behavior: simple & easy to use! n Do you want a hug or a fight?

Human Aggression and Violence n Zillman: Fight or flight = arousal n n n Moderate arousal + social skills = verbal Moderate arousal + poor social skills= aggression High arousal, even + social skills can still = aggression. Perceptions/cognitions determine fight or flight Gender differences in Aggression: n Physical versus verbal aggression

Human Aggression and Violence Covert vs. Overt aggression n Big boys don’t cry n Mean girls n n Effects of Media Violence: Television n Video Games n n Contagion Effect

Psychology of Criminal Behavior The End