Biological & Social Explanations of Criminal Behaviour
Which part of the brain is responsible for impulse control and decision-making?
Frontal Lobe
What is the weapon focus effect?
Witnesses focus on the weapon, forgetting details about the offender
What is the halo effect?
When a positive trait like attractiveness leads jurors to assume other positive traits
What is criminal profiling
Using the nature of a crime to infer characteristics of the likely offender
What behavioural problems can occur if the frontal lobe is damaged or underdeveloped?
Difficulty controlling impulses, aggressive outbursts, poor decision-making
Why does the weapon focus effect occur?
Limited short-term memory capacity, stress, and over-arousal distract from other details
How did the Castellow, Wuensch, and Moore (1990) study demonstrate the Halo Effect
Attractive defendants were found guilty less often than unattractive ones
What is Modus Operandi (MO)
The method used to commit a crime – how it was carried out
What is a self-fulfilling prophecy? Give an example.
When someone accepts a negative label and begins to act in line with it, e.g., being called a “troublemaker” and then acting out
According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, what happens to memory accuracy when stress is too high?
Accuracy decreases because stress reduces the ability to encode and recall
How can race and cultural background influence jury decisions?
Schemas and stereotypes can bias jurors against certain racial or cultural groups
What is a criminal signature? Give an example.
A behaviour not necessary to commit the crime, but fulfils psychological needs, e.g., mutilation or symbols left behind
Describe how the amygdala can influence criminal behaviour.
If damaged or overactive, it can increase aggression and reduce emotional control; if underactive, it can cause lack of empathy or remorse
What is a leading question? Provide an example.
A question that contains assumptions, e.g., “How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other
What could courts do to reduce attractiveness or racial bias in jury decision-making?
Possible answers: anonymous jury processes, education on bias, removing photos/appearance cues
List the five steps of the BEA method.
1. Forensic evidence, 2. Victim characteristics, 3. Crime scene characteristics, 4. Develop a profile, 5. Apprehension
Using an example, explain how social learning theory can lead someone to commit a crime.
If a person observes others successfully stealing (attention/retention), believes they can copy it (reproduction), has motivation such as money, and is rewarded by not getting caught, they are more likely to repeat the behaviour.
How do leading questions distort memory
They filter memory through assumptions, adding misinformation that becomes encoded as part of the memory
How can schemas influence jury decision-making, and why might this be unfair?
Schemas are mental frameworks that can include stereotypes, such as linking certain races or appearances with criminality. This can cause jurors to make biased decisions rather than relying only on evidence, leading to unfair trials.
Why is criminal profiling considered controversial?
Accuracy is limited, often based on intuition/guesswork, and not always scientifically reliable.