Deindividuation

Some of our recent discussions have been concerned with topics relating to how individuals tend to underestimate the role of environmental or situational influences on behavior, and to overestimate individual personality factors, when concerning other people. To recap, the fundamental attribution error is a term, which refers to the common human error in which people tend to underestimate situational influences and overestimate individual personality factors, when explaining behavior. We also looked at one example of the fundamental attribution error, crimes of obedience, which is defined as: [...]

Deindividuation2024-07-29T19:04:02+00:00

Study Review: Borderline Personality Disorder and Social-Cognitive Deficits

Those afflicted with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are characterized with a variety of cognitive and emotional deficits seen throughout life regarding the regulation of emotions, impulsivity, and maladaptive images of self and others. This often leads to a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships. Early life trauma and genetics are theorized to play major roles in the development of this condition. Up until recently, research has mostly been focused on the neurophysiological abnormalities that may play a role in the disorder, particularly in the amygdala, [...]

Study Review: Borderline Personality Disorder and Social-Cognitive Deficits2024-07-29T18:53:47+00:00

Should We Be More Concerned With Prenatal Exposure In The Prevention Of Crime?

Crime and violence has existed throughout human history, and the search for answers as to what causes such behavior has lead to a variety of proposed theories. Criminal behavior is often associated with a variety of social and environmental risk factors that people are exposed to throughout life; lack of education, unstable family life and poverty are some of the most common examples. According to this perspective, crime is a result of a combination of these risk factors that people are exposed to in [...]

Should We Be More Concerned With Prenatal Exposure In The Prevention Of Crime?2024-07-29T18:45:55+00:00

Portrait of Women as Criminal Offenders

The public has a common perception of “the criminal”, which is portrayed, primarily by the media and the entertainment industry, as a bulky, rugged man who is hiding out there in the dark ready to grab an unsuspecting victim. However, if one will take a deeper look, these influential institutions may be overlooking a vital change happening on the ground – that women are joining the ranks of criminal offenders, and that they too deserve to occupy a significant space in the portrait. Men [...]

Portrait of Women as Criminal Offenders2024-07-29T18:33:37+00:00

Environment’s Role in the Proliferation or Deterrence of Crime

The environment does not have any hand in producing crime, but it can significantly reinforce or deter criminal acts. Small towns with close social interaction tend to have lower crime rates than big cities where people barely know their neighbor. It is not so much the “bond” that people form that deters criminality, but the sense of being closely watched by the community. According to a tour director in Moorea, a small island in French Polynesia, there is very little crime in the island [...]

Environment’s Role in the Proliferation or Deterrence of Crime2024-07-29T18:29:16+00:00

Emotional Extremes Of A Criminal Not Necessarily An Emotional Disorder

A lot of criminals or social offenders are characterized by quick changes in their moods, from extremely high to extremely low. These changes in moods can happen frequently — even within a single day of a criminal’s life. He or she may appear to be elated at one time, feeling that he or she is in control, but in a short span of time, will just snap out of it and become sad and bad-tempered. These quick changes in moods may be seen by [...]

Emotional Extremes Of A Criminal Not Necessarily An Emotional Disorder2024-07-29T18:24:01+00:00

Ex-Criminals as Counselors?

An irresponsible person can attempt to counsel another person on how to be responsible; but this just isn’t likely to end up successfully. How can anyone teach someone to be something if that person doesn’t even practice what he preaches? This is very true, especially if a person wants to teach values to another person. Most people think that criminals just can’t possibly teach other criminals to be better people because they can’t even do that for their personal growth. This is true in [...]

Ex-Criminals as Counselors?2024-07-29T18:17:59+00:00

How “Expert” is Expert Testimony?

The Eye-Opener The legal system as we know it, places considerable emphasis on expert testimony. On a reasonable scale, there is no expectation that such testimony would be accurate at all times and in all instances. However, digging deep into how “expert” an expert testimony is, brings up an unexciting, and frankly, appalling state of affairs of this critical legal appendage. Fault Lines in Psychology in Court Cases Interestingly, the initial steps to uncover the careless "inexpertness" of what many consider, and often passes, [...]

How “Expert” is Expert Testimony?2024-07-29T18:08:15+00:00

Application of Forensic Psychology to the Criminal Justice System

Forensic psychology has over the years played a key role in the legal field of criminal justice. To fully appreciate how this field of psychology affects criminal justice, it is important to first understand what it is and how it is applied in court cases. Definition of Forensic Psychology Forensic psychology is a unique combination of medical psychology and criminal justice. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines forensic psychology as the use of clinical specialties in the legal system. A forensic psychologist applies psychological [...]

Application of Forensic Psychology to the Criminal Justice System2024-07-29T18:01:54+00:00

Criminals: Parents Aren’t Always At Fault

Parenting and Criminality Mental health professionals have been at the forefront of answering the questions that mortify the rest of us. In what environment and under what conditions did a one-time murderer, serial killer or mass shooter grow up? Among a growing number of factors, the parents of criminals receive a great deal of scrutiny. Could they have played a role in shaping up who the criminal becomes in the future? What else plays a role in determining whether juveniles or adults break the [...]

Criminals: Parents Aren’t Always At Fault2024-07-29T17:51:07+00:00
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