Criminological Psychology: Key Concepts and Applications
Criminological Psychology: Key Concepts
Definition
Criminological psychology is a branch of psychology that studies the individual, social, biological, and familial factors that may lead a person to become delinquent. It includes the study of criminal violence.
Object of Study
The object of study is antisocial and criminal behavior, specifically criminal violence. This can be defined as the unlawful use of force with the intent to threaten, attempt, or inflict physical, psychological, or social harm on others.
Social Learning Theory
Social learning is a prominent theory used to explain violent behavior.
Biological Determinants of Crime
Biological determinants of crime belong to the interaction model.
False Positives
False positives are subjects who were predicted to become future criminals but did not.
Valid Negatives
Valid negatives are subjects who were excluded from a high-risk group due to the absence of risk factors and did not become criminals.
Key Questions and Answers
Exposure to Televised Violence
If exposure to televised violence increases interpersonal violence, a blind controlled study should be conducted.
Individual Risk Factors
Social competence and efficacy are individual risk factors.
Serial Murderer Definition
The definition of a serial murderer as someone who has committed at least six murders in intervals is false; the correct number is three.
Criminal Profiling
Alternative Name
Another name for criminal profiling is criminal analytical research.
Mc Cann’s Three Stages to Develop a Profile
- Gathering all possible information for research.
- Incident reconstruction using collected data and developing hypotheses about the victim’s and offender’s behavior.
- Interim development of a profile based on sociodemographic characteristics and mental health of the possible aggressor.
Rapist Likely to Kill Again
The sadistic murderer is more likely to kill again.
Salfati’s Classification of Murderers
Salfati classifies murderers according to their characteristics, including the murder of vulnerability.
Coercive Persuasion
Definition
Coercive persuasion involves techniques used to influence and control individuals.
Defining Characteristics of Cults
A defining characteristic of cults is the use of coercive persuasion techniques.
Three Types of Coercive Persuasion
There are three types of coercive persuasion techniques.
Stages in the Process of Coercive Persuasion
There are specific stages in the process of coercive persuasion.
Techniques of Resistance to Coercive Persuasion
There are various techniques to resist coercive persuasion.
Effects of Harassment
Effects on People Being Harassed
- Psychosomatic: Headache, insomnia, etc.
- Emotional: Anxiety, sadness.
- Cognitive: Memory loss.
- Behavioral: Harping on the issue of labor and harassment, affecting family and social life, and causing interpersonal problems within and outside the home.
- Persistent Obsession: Hatred that prevents the person from moving on. It is important to abandon this hatred, but not to forget or forgive, for the sake of prosecuting stalkers.