FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY AQA EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ALL
CORRECT
What are the aims of custodial sentencing? - Answer-1. Deter- stop future crimes
2. Punish- harshness of punishment match crime committed
3. Rehab- education or therapy
4. Protect- putting criminals in prison
Evaluation of custodial sentencing - Answer-1. Hollin 1992 says large proportion of
offenders reoffend
2. Peterson 1981- 10% of criminals responsible for 50% of all crime committed
Outline depression as a psychological effect of custodial sentencing - Answer-Zamble
1988- longitudinal study, anxiety and depression high at start of sentence, but
decreases over time.
US prisons- depression affects almost 19% of prison population which is nearly 3x more
that whole population
Outline suicide and self-harm as a psychological effect of custodial sentencing -
Answer-Daniel 2006- first 30 days is high risk period where most likely to attempt
suicide
Dooley 1990- suicide among prisoners 4x higher than rest of society
Snow 2006- those who attempt suicide are more passive and withdraw from others,
those who self-harm show more angry and violent behavior
Evaluation of genetic explanations for criminal behaviour - Answer-1. Twin studies may
not be valid as identical twins often brought up in same way and involve smaller
samples
2. Many children adopted later in life so are still influenced by biological parents
3. Brunner- family lacks representativeness, can't apply
4. Reductionist- nurture argument says its important to look at external factors like
parenting and culture that may affect criminal behaviour
Outline Raine's study on brain structure - Answer-They studied 41 violent offenders and
compared the activity in their prefrontal cortex to 41 non-criminals using PET scans.
The criminals showed less activity in their prefrontal lobe suggesting they have less
control over impulses and don't suffer from guilt.
Objective evidence- PET scans, scientific method, increases validity and reliability
, Outline Potegal's study on the amygdala - Answer-When the amygdala (part of limbic
system) in hamsters was stimulated it led to increased aggressive behaviour- showing
the amygdala is linked to aggression
Outline role of neurotransmitters - Answer-Noradrenaline- high level causes violence
Serotonin- low level causes impulsivity
Dopamine- role in addiction
Evaluation of neural explanations - Answer-1. research into neural factors can lead to
treatments- low levels of serotonin causes aggression thus prisoners can be given diets
increasing serotonin
2. seeing offending behaviour as biological is deterministic-people have no choice over
their brain and genetics, but the CJS assumes criminals have free will
3. reductionist- reasons for criminality vary. likely to be caused by nature+nurture
Define extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism (Eyesenck's criminal personality) -
Answer-E- seek excitement, risk-taking, don't learn from mistakes
N- over-anxious, hard to predict behaviour
P- aggressive, uncaring
he also believed criminals are impatient
Evaluate Eyesenck's psychometric testing - Answer-1. assumes personality is stable
2. self-report measures- can only say yes or no, may lie
3. ignores cultural differences in personality- Bartol studied hispanic+africanamerican
criminals and found they were less extraverted than non-criminal control group
What are Kohlberg's levels of moral reasoning? - Answer-1. Pre-conventional- rules
obeyed to avoid punishment and for personal gain
2. Conventional- rules obeyed for approval and social order
3. Post-conventional- rules obeyed to protect everyones rights
Evaluation of Kohlberg - Answer-1. measures what people think they would do rather
than what they actually would do
2. androcentric and culture biased
3. its difficult for children to imagine Heinz' perspective
What are cognitive distortions? - Answer-Negative or irrational thinking which give
people a distorted view of reality, affecting the way they behave.
What is hostile attribution bias? - Answer-When someone interprets the innocent
actions of others as hostile or unfriendly.
What is minimisation? - Answer-Downplaying the seriousness of an offence. Can also
be seen as denial. Kennedy (1992) found majority sex offenders blamed victim and a
quarter of them believed the abuse was good for the victim.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ALL
CORRECT
What are the aims of custodial sentencing? - Answer-1. Deter- stop future crimes
2. Punish- harshness of punishment match crime committed
3. Rehab- education or therapy
4. Protect- putting criminals in prison
Evaluation of custodial sentencing - Answer-1. Hollin 1992 says large proportion of
offenders reoffend
2. Peterson 1981- 10% of criminals responsible for 50% of all crime committed
Outline depression as a psychological effect of custodial sentencing - Answer-Zamble
1988- longitudinal study, anxiety and depression high at start of sentence, but
decreases over time.
US prisons- depression affects almost 19% of prison population which is nearly 3x more
that whole population
Outline suicide and self-harm as a psychological effect of custodial sentencing -
Answer-Daniel 2006- first 30 days is high risk period where most likely to attempt
suicide
Dooley 1990- suicide among prisoners 4x higher than rest of society
Snow 2006- those who attempt suicide are more passive and withdraw from others,
those who self-harm show more angry and violent behavior
Evaluation of genetic explanations for criminal behaviour - Answer-1. Twin studies may
not be valid as identical twins often brought up in same way and involve smaller
samples
2. Many children adopted later in life so are still influenced by biological parents
3. Brunner- family lacks representativeness, can't apply
4. Reductionist- nurture argument says its important to look at external factors like
parenting and culture that may affect criminal behaviour
Outline Raine's study on brain structure - Answer-They studied 41 violent offenders and
compared the activity in their prefrontal cortex to 41 non-criminals using PET scans.
The criminals showed less activity in their prefrontal lobe suggesting they have less
control over impulses and don't suffer from guilt.
Objective evidence- PET scans, scientific method, increases validity and reliability
, Outline Potegal's study on the amygdala - Answer-When the amygdala (part of limbic
system) in hamsters was stimulated it led to increased aggressive behaviour- showing
the amygdala is linked to aggression
Outline role of neurotransmitters - Answer-Noradrenaline- high level causes violence
Serotonin- low level causes impulsivity
Dopamine- role in addiction
Evaluation of neural explanations - Answer-1. research into neural factors can lead to
treatments- low levels of serotonin causes aggression thus prisoners can be given diets
increasing serotonin
2. seeing offending behaviour as biological is deterministic-people have no choice over
their brain and genetics, but the CJS assumes criminals have free will
3. reductionist- reasons for criminality vary. likely to be caused by nature+nurture
Define extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism (Eyesenck's criminal personality) -
Answer-E- seek excitement, risk-taking, don't learn from mistakes
N- over-anxious, hard to predict behaviour
P- aggressive, uncaring
he also believed criminals are impatient
Evaluate Eyesenck's psychometric testing - Answer-1. assumes personality is stable
2. self-report measures- can only say yes or no, may lie
3. ignores cultural differences in personality- Bartol studied hispanic+africanamerican
criminals and found they were less extraverted than non-criminal control group
What are Kohlberg's levels of moral reasoning? - Answer-1. Pre-conventional- rules
obeyed to avoid punishment and for personal gain
2. Conventional- rules obeyed for approval and social order
3. Post-conventional- rules obeyed to protect everyones rights
Evaluation of Kohlberg - Answer-1. measures what people think they would do rather
than what they actually would do
2. androcentric and culture biased
3. its difficult for children to imagine Heinz' perspective
What are cognitive distortions? - Answer-Negative or irrational thinking which give
people a distorted view of reality, affecting the way they behave.
What is hostile attribution bias? - Answer-When someone interprets the innocent
actions of others as hostile or unfriendly.
What is minimisation? - Answer-Downplaying the seriousness of an offence. Can also
be seen as denial. Kennedy (1992) found majority sex offenders blamed victim and a
quarter of them believed the abuse was good for the victim.
