Deck 9: Psychological Perspectives on Criminality

Question 1

Which of the following perspectives analyzes social problems,including crime,as largely a product of society's organizational and institutional characteristics?

A)community psychology
B)antisocial personality
C)psychoanalytic theory
D)moral development

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Most psychological theories of criminality entail one of two assumptions.Which of the following are those two assumptions?

A)Something is psychologically wrong with the offender and offenders differ from non-offenders.
B)All criminal offenders have some form of mental health disorder that differentiates them from non-offenders.
C)Offenders are the same as non-offenders except their psychological disorders were not detected when they were young.
D)Freud's psycho-analytical theories form the basis of most psychological analysis of criminal behaviour.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

"There is something psychologically wrong with offenders." Which of the following assumptions best describes explanations premised on that notion?

A)assumption of precipitating event
B)assumption of discriminating traits
C)assumption of unconscious determinants
D)assumption of offender deficit

Answer 3

D

Question 4

According to Farrington,from which of the following factors does the motivation to commit delinquent acts arise?

A)the need for material goods or excitement.
B)frustration due to deep-seated resentment toward a middle-class measuring rod
C)poverty and the inability to achieve society's goals through legitimate means
D)identity problems stemming from childhood issues

Question 5

On which of the following does Eysenck base his theory of crime and personality?

A)operant conditioning
B)social modelling
C)classical conditioning
D)psychoanalysis

Question 6

Which of the following best represents the psycho-analytical theory of criminal behaviour?

A)Crime results when ego,superego,and id are completely missing from an individual.
B)Crime results when the ego and superego are unable to control the primitive,aggressive,and antisocial instincts of the id.
C)Crime results when the ego can no longer control the superego
D)Crime results when the id can no longer control the ego and superego.

Question 7

In Eysenck's typology,on which of the following does a cold,antisocial,unemotional person score high?

A)introversion
B)neuroticism
C)psychoticism
D)extraversion

Question 8

According to Warren and Hindelang,which of the following is NOT an interpretation of criminal behaviour derived from psychoanalytic theory?

A)Criminal behaviour is an expression of displaced hostility.
B)Criminal behaviour results from a compulsive need for punishment.
C)Criminal behaviour is a calculated response to external stimuli.
D)Criminal behaviour is a form of neurosis.

Question 9

Which of the following assumptions is being made by a psychological theory that emphasizes offenders' high rate of aggression relative to that of non-offenders?

A)environmental influence
B)offender strength
C)offender deficit
D)discriminating traits

Question 10

"People progress through five overlapping stages of development: oral,anal,phallic,latency,genital." Of wat theory is this a basic premise?

A)psychoanalytic theory
B)moral development theory
C)operant conditioning theory
D)personality theory

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a critique of psychological theories of criminality?

A)Little emphasis is placed on the positive characteristics (strengths)of offenders.
B)Insufficient emphasis is placed on personality traits of criminal offenders.
C)They ignore the importance of situational and environmental factors on individual behaviour.
D)Criminal offenders do not always differ from non-criminal offenders.

Question 12

According to psychoanalyst Schoenfeld,boys are especially prone to delinquency if they are raised in which of the following environments?

A)a large,extended family
B)an isolated rural home
C)a fatherless home
D)a lower-class,impoverished family

Question 13

According to Jennings and colleagues,which statement best expresses the relationship between moral development and delinquency?

A)Advanced levels of moral development cause delinquency.
B)Advanced levels of moral development insulate against delinquency.
C)Low levels of moral development are not associated with delinquency.
D)Low levels of moral development insulate against delinquency.

Question 14

A chronic offender confesses to a counsellor that he committed crimes because the crimes help provide the type of gratification for desires that were not met by his family while he was growing up.Which of the following theories best represents the beliefs of this offender as to the causes of his criminal behaviour?

A)moral development
B)social learning
C)psychoanalytical
D)personality

Question 15

Which of the following statements best represents the institutional level of analysis within community psychology?

A)Young offenders suffer from mental disorders.
B)Young offenders are often influenced by delinquent peers.
C)Young offenders are the product of biological factors experienced during adolescence.
D)Young offenders are negatively socialized by neglectful families,poor schools,and the absence of jobs in the local labour market.

Question 16

According to Eysenck,three of the following qualities are associated with extraversion.Which of them is not associated with extraversion?

A)anxiety
B)sociability
C)aggression.
D)impulsiveness

Question 17

What stage of Kohlberg's theory of moral development centres on punishment and egocentrism?

A)conventional
B)preoperational
C)postconventional
D)preconventional

Question 18

"No system of criminology has any meaning that disregards this central feature of all criminology…" What "central feature of criminology" are Eysenck and Gudjonsson referring to?

A)a socially constructed definition of criminal behaviour
B)the individual offender
C)the environment in which crime takes place
D)the accountability toward victims of crime

Question 19

In describing his stages of moral development,which of the following did Kohlberg argue?

A)Individuals go through all of the stages and always in the same sequence though the pace may vary.
B)Individuals go through the same sequence,but the pace may vary,and some individuals may never progress beyond the first few stages.
C)Individuals go through some of the stages,but not necessarily in the same order,and the pace may vary.
D)Individuals go through all the stages,but not necessarily in the same order,and the pace may vary.

Question 20

Which of the following factors is a principal focus of psychological theories of criminality?

A)the offender's social environment
B)the offender's personality
C)the offender's biological and genetic make-up
D)the offender's physical health

Question 21

To reduce delinquency,Eyesenck recommends that parents be stricter.Which of the following does this entail?

A)that they employ outside agencies like the police to administer punishment
B)that they escalate the punishment each time the child misbehaves
C)that they punish the child every time he or she misbehaves
D)that they punish the child more severely

Question 22

Research by Widom indicates that,compared to institutionalized individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder,antisocial people who are not institutionalized are characterized by which of the following?

A)They are better educated but worse at avoiding conviction.
B)They are better educated and better at avoiding conviction.
C)They are less educated but better at avoiding conviction.
D)They are less educated and worse at avoiding conviction.

Question 23

Which of the following dimensions of personality described by Eysenck was found to be associated with psychopathy?

A)psychoticism
B)introversion
C)neuroticism
D)extraversion

Question 24

According to Bandura,what are the most effective deterrents to criminal behaviour?

A)legal sanctions
B)self-sanctions
C)moral sanctions
D)social sanctions

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT true of Hare's Revised Psychopathy Checklist?

A)It provides a reliable and valid assessment of psychopathy.
B)It is widely used for research and for making decisions in the mental health and criminal justice systems.
C)It includes strong predictors of violence and recidivism in offenders and psychiatric patients.
D)It has been frequently used in Canada to determine if a defendant should be declared not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder in a criminal trial.

Question 26

Which psychological theory has survived more "crucial tests" than any other?

A)social learning theory
B)moral development theory
C)pperant conditioning theory
D)psychoanalytical theory

Question 27

Which of the following is most accurate when describing research findings on the relationship between watching TV by children and their levels of aggression?

A)Watching television has no impact on increasing children's aggressive behaviour.
B)Watching television has a significant impact on children's aggressive behaviour.
C)Watching violence on TV can desensitize children to violence in real life.
D)There is no relationship between watching violence on TV and children's aggressive behaviour.

Question 28

Which of the following does Hare refer to as "the single most important clinical construct in the criminal justice system"?

A)NCRMD
B)extraversion
C)psychopathy
D)incarcerated populations

Question 29

According to the textbook,Charles Manson had many characteristics.Which of the following characteristics did he NOT have?

A)charm
B)ruthlessness
C)feelings of guilt
D)psychopathy

Question 30

Which of the following groups has been the primary focus of research on Antisocial Personality Disorder?

A)mass murderers
B)university students
C)the mentally ill
D)incarcerated populations

Question 31

Which of the following best describes the effect of the teaching family group home model (e.g. ,Achievement Place)on delinquents' behaviour?

A)There are substantial short-term and long-term benefits.
B)There are no substantial short-term or long-term benefits.
C)There are positive short-term benefits,but the long-term benefits are in question.
D)There are substantial short-term benefits but not long-term benefits.

Question 32

Malamuth and Check studied the impact of viewing violent sexuality on university students' attitudes toward violence.Which of the following best summarizes the results of viewing violent sexuality?

A)Female viewers were more accepting of violence against women,but male viewers were not.
B)Male viewers were more accepting of violence against women,but female viewers were not.
C)Neither male nor female viewers were accepting of violence against women.
D)Both Male and female viewers were accepting of violence against women.

Question 33

Which of the following theories is based on the assumption that deviant behaviour such as aggression can be learned by modelling the behaviour of others?

A)personality theory
B)social learning theory
C)moral development theory
D)operant conditioning theory

Question 34

Three of the following describe basically the same set of behaviours.Which of the following does NOT describe the same set of behaviours?

A)sociopathy
B)schizophrenia
C)psychopathy
D)antisocial personality disorder

Question 35

In the 1976 book The Mask of Sanity,which of the following does Cleckley NOT include in his clinical description of psychopathy?

A)low intelligence
B)an inability to experience empathy
C)pathological lying and deception
D)unstable life plan

Question 36

Of the list below,which person has NOT been deemed a psychopath?

A)Clifford Olsen
B)Vincent Li
C)Paul Bernardo
D)Charles Manson

Question 37

What term is used to describe a system to prevent or treat antisocial behaviour by providing individuals rewards for appropriate behaviour and punishing them for inappropriate behaviour?

A)social learning
B)psycho-therapy
C)operant conditioning
D)cognitive behavioural conditioning

Question 38

Which of the following is the essential feature of the American Psychiatric Association's definition of the Antisocial Personality Disorder?

A)the inability to maintain close friendships with age-appropriate peers
B)a facade of charm masking emotional coolness
C)violence perpetrated against others
D)pervasive disregard for the rights of others

Question 39

Who is associated with research on operant conditioning?

A)Freud
B)Skinner
C)Piaget
D)Eysenck

Question 40

According to research by Bandura,which of the following best represents the source of vicarious learning of aggression at the community level?

A)family influences
B)symbolic modelling
C)operant conditioning influences
D)subcultural influences

Question 41

According to research,what term describes the number of inmates in Canadian jails that have a substantial mental health needs,including a substance abuse problem?

A)few
B)most
C)a little less than half
D)unknown

Question 42

One major focus of psychological theories of criminality is the personality of the offender.

Question 43

Surprisingly,no instruments have been developed to reliably measure psychopathy in people.

Question 44

One dominant critique of psychological theories is that it places too much focus on factors within the social environment that can contribute to the onset of criminal behaviour.

Question 45

A token economy set up in a youth detention centre to reward positive behaviour by inmates can be considered a form of operant conditioning.

Question 46

Someone suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder in Canada is eligible to be deemed not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder by a criminal court.

Question 47

The "institutional" level of analysis in community psychology suggests that social problems that contribute to criminality were created by the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill.

Question 48

In psychoanalytic theory,the part of the personality that mediates between the other two parts,or forces,is the superego.

Question 49

Bandura argues that criminal behaviour is a learned behaviour.

Question 50

The most effective deterrent to antisocial behaviour,according to Bandura,is the provision of more attractive pro-social alternatives.

Question 51

Eysenck's theory of crime and personality is based on operant conditioning.

Question 52

Which of the following is the most prevalent metal health problem affecting inmates in Canadian jails and prisons?

A)major depression
B)psychopathy
C)substance abuse disorders
D)schizophrenia

Question 53

Research indicates that,compared to matched non-delinquents,juvenile delinquents' moral judgment is less advanced.

Question 54

Eysenck's theory of crime and personality argues that individuals who may have a psychological propensity to commit crime may be socialized effectively if they grow up in an environment that provides effective conditioning.

Question 55

One of the two main assumptions of psychological theories of criminal behaviour is that offenders really do not differ that much from non-offenders.

Question 56

Eysenck's theory of crime and personality shows how psychological and social variables can be interrelated.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about Clifford Olson is NOT true?

A)He was compulsive talker and liar.
B)He could be charming and smooth talking.
C)He eventually showed remorse and guilt for his actions.
D)He committed a in a string of antisocial and criminal acts extending back to his early childhood.

Question 58

A main criticism of psychoanalytic theory is that it is empirically unverifiable.

Question 59

According to Bandura,watching television is a form of subcultural influence.

Question 60

Research has shown that most criminals actually desire to be punished because they suffer from guilt and anxiety.

Question 61

Individuals with an antisocial personality fail to learn from negative experiences because they do not become anxious in circumstances that should elicit anxiety.

Question 62

List and describe the three stages in Kohlberg's theory of moral development and how it is relevant to understanding juvenile delinquency.

Question 63

In their book entitled Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths go to Work,Babiuk and Hare argue that psychopaths fit well into the corporate world.What rationale do they have for saying this?

Question 64

Describe and critically analyze Antisocial Personality Disorder and theories on how it can contribute to criminal and violent behaviour.

Question 65

As measured by the DSM-IV,less than 5% of the general population has Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Question 66

Describe the debate over whether criminal offenders should be seen as different from non-offenders.

Question 67

Describe and critically analyze how psychoanalytic theory views the causes of criminal behaviour.

Question 68

Once arrested,mentally ill persons as a group are more likely to recidivate than offenders who do not have a history of mental illness.

Question 69

Describe and critically analyze Eysenck's theory of crime and personality.

Question 70

Describe the overall approach of psychological theories of crime.What are some of the key assumptions underlying this approach?

Question 71

The prevalence of mental disorder among those in the criminal justice system is around the same as that of the general population.

Question 72

In general,people who are mentally ill are arrested more frequently than others without a mental illness.

Question 73

Outline the main assumption of social learning theory in relation to aggressive and violent behaviour.Describe the sources of behavioural modelling (vicarious learning)identified by Bandura.

Question 74

Substance use disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders to inmates in Canadian prisons.

Question 75

Research has suggest that those individuals characterized by psychopathy have normal functioning in the prefrontal cortex of their brains

Question 76

List and describe the strengths and weaknesses of psychological theories of crime.

Question 77

According to Babiak and Hare (2006),those individuals characterized by psychopathy fit well in the corporate world.

Question 78

Describe how theorists using the community psychology perspective would view the problem of prostitution using each of the four levels of analysis.

Question 79

Explain how a token economy system employing principles of operant conditioning can be used to prevent delinquent behaviour among at-risk children and youth.

Question 80

List and describe the two main assumptions underlying most psychological research on offenders.