PSYC 3402 : PSYC 3402 Criminal Behavior PSYC3402 Midterm (Module 1,2,3,4,5,6) Questions & Answers: Updated Guide

What are the research methods of evolutionary psychology? (Ans- historical, anthropological, cross-cultural vs. psychological (questionnaires, experiments, observations) What does evolutionary psychology hypothesize about recurring ancestral selection pressures? (Ans- caused conflicts that led to development of evolved psychological mechanisms that manifest as crime/antisocial behavior, *only when certain environmental cues are present* How does evolutionary psychology explain male-on-male violence? (Ans- a male's reputation was founded largely on his ability to maintain a credible threat of violence According to och (1992), a self-image promoter is a.... (Ans- man who works hard to maintain a tough and fearless image, fights to make an impression, and worries about looking like a coward What were the findings of Lange's (1929) twin studies? (Ans- compared prison records of 13 pairs of MZ and DZ twins, concordance rates were 77% for MZ and 12% for DZAntisocial behaviour/crime can be accounted for in adoption studies by... (Ans- heritability (.41), shared environment (.16), non-shared environment (.43) MAOA gene (Ans- responsible for metabolizing brain neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine, low activity version of Xlinked MAOA gene is associated with crime and aggression What were the findings of Caspi et al.'s (2002) study on the interaction of low MAOA gene and childhood maltreatment to predict antisocial behavior/personality? (Ans- no main effect for just the MAOA gene, was an effect for childhood maltreatment, was an interaction between low activity MAOA gene and maltreatment According to Dr. Bonta, what role does biology (and evolution) play in explaining criminal conduct? (Ans- genetic and biological predispositions are expressed when certain environmental cues are presented; some individuals are more likely to have inappropriate reactions, negative feelings and a bad tempter due to genetics and biologyNeurotransmitters (Ans- chemical messengers of the nervous system operating in the brain Serotonin (Ans- neurotransmitter that affects behavioral inhibition and mood regulation Dopamine (Ans- neurotransmitter associated with the pleasure centre Norepinephrine (Ans- neurotransmitter involved in the fight or flight response Lower levels of this correlate moderately with aggression (Ans- serotonin Higher levels of this correlate with aggression (Ans- testosteronePsychophysiology (Ans- the study of changes in the functioning of the body that result from psychological experiences; uses heart rate and galvanic skin responses Fearlessness theory (Ans- individuals do not experience elevated HR or sweaty palms when stressed, so are more likely to take risks Stimulation-seeking theory (Ans- chronic state of low arousal is unpleasant; risk-taking alleviates the unpleasant state Raine & Range (2006) believe that structural or functional damage in this area of the brain can lead to antisocial tendencies (Ans- prefrontal cortex (emotions, decision making, impulsivity) Neuroimaging studies look at (Ans- structure (reduced grey matter, tumors, lesions) and function (blood flow, glucose metabolism)Schoenthaler (1983) studied the effects of poor diets on aggression. The study found that a balanced diet... (Ans- resulted in a decline in disruptions and assaults Determinism (Ans- idea that every event, action, and decision results from something independent of the human will; "if we are hard-wired this way, I guess there's nothing we can do" Naturalistic fallacy (Ans- the idea that the way things are is the way they should be; "if science says so, then it must also be morally right" Natural selection (Ans- natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment The textbook and the video lecture compare psychopaths to: (Ans- salmonsA recent poll suggests that 13% of Canadians admitted to using marijuana in the previous twelve months. The number '13%" represents: (Ans- a prevalence rate The provincial government does NOT oversee: (Ans- adult sentences 2 years or more According to the textbook what do most people consider to be the best source of information about the criminal justice system? (Ans- TV news A researcher compares the concordance rates of criminal behavior between adoptive parents and their adopted children with the concordance rates of criminal behavior between the adopted children and their biological parents. The official name for this research paradigm is the __________________. (Ans- parent-offspring paradigm What three theories does Dr. Gendreau describe to explain how prisons impact inmate behavior: (Ans- deep freeze, deterrence, "schools of crime"Food scarcity, dangerous predators, and mate scarcity are all examples of: (Ans- ancestral selection pressures Joey never seems to break a sweat no matter how stressed he is at work. What theory would explain Joey's physiological response to stress? (Ans- fearlessness theory The superego is thought to consist of two sub-systems. What are these two sub-systems? (Ans- conscience/ego-ideal Despite growing up in a tough neighborhood, Ross has never committed a crime. When asked how he has stayed out of trouble, Ross says it's all because of the love he has for his parents. He states that he could never commit a crime because of what it would do to them. According to Hirschi, what sort of bond is particularly strong in Ross? (Ans- attachment What term best describes the following statement: "A person becomes a criminal when they are exposed to an excess of definitions (values, norms, messages) that are unfavorable to the law." (Ans- differential associationIn classical conditioning, a previously neutral stimulus (a bell) comes to evoke a conditioned response (salivation) after it is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (food). After this conditioning has taken place, the bell would be referred to as: (Ans- a conditioned stimulus