forensic psychology

• What is meant by the agentic state?

  A psychological state where individuals see themselves as agents
• What is the opposite of the agentic state?

  Autonomous state
• How might each of the approaches explain criminal behaviour?

  Through biological, psychodynamic, cognitive, and behaviourist lenses
• What is offender profiling?

  Analyzing crime scenes to identify offender characteristics
• What problems could occur when trying to narrow down likely suspects in offender profiling?

  Misinterpretation of evidence or biases may arise
• How do token economies work to manage schizophrenia?

  They use reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors
• What is a weakness of token economies for schizophrenia?

  They may not address underlying causes of symptoms
• What is the basic assumption of offender profiling?

  The offender's behavior reflects their personal characteristics
• What is the top-down approach to offender profiling?

  A method developed by the FBI in the 1970s
• What data did the FBI use to create the top-down approach?

  In-depth interviews with 36 sexually motivated murderers
• What are the two categories of crimes identified in the top-down approach?

  Organised and disorganised crimes
• Why might the data from the top-down approach not be useful?

  It is based on a small, non-random sample
• What is an organised offender?

  An offender who plans their crimes carefully
• What are the key characteristics of an organised offender?

  Planned crimes, social competence, and higher IQ
• What are the key characteristics of a disorganised offender?

  Impulsive crimes, social incompetence, and lower IQ
• What are the four stages of constructing a profile using the top-down approach?

  Data collection, analysis, hypothesis generation, and testing
• How does Ted Bundy fit the profile of an organised offender?

  He targeted victims with similar features and planned carefully
• What is a strength of the top-down approach?

  Research support for organised vs disorganised offenders
• What did Canter (2004) find in his analysis of 100 US murders?

  Key characteristics used by organised killers
• What is a weakness of the top-down approach?

  It is based on flawed evidence and small sample size
• What is the bottom-up approach to offender profiling?

  A method that generates profiles based on crime scene evidence
• Why might the bottom-up approach be more effective than the top-down approach?

  It is data-driven and does not rely on fixed categories
• What is investigative psychology?

  A type of bottom-up profiling matching crime details with past patterns
• What does interpersonal coherence refer to in investigative psychology?

  How an offender's behavior at the scene reflects their everyday behavior
• What is forensic awareness?

  When a criminal covers their tracks indicating past offenses
• What does geographical profiling use to make inferences about an offender?

  Information about the location of linked crime scenes
• What is the principle of spatial consistency in geographical profiling?

  People commit crimes within a limited geographical space
• What are the two types of offenders described in Canter's circle theory?

  Marauder and commuter
• What does the marauder do according to Canter's circle theory?

  Operates in close proximity to their home base
• What does the commuter do according to Canter's circle theory?

  Travels a distance away from their usual residence
• What is meant by the agentic state?

  A psychological state where individuals see themselves as agents
• What is the opposite of the agentic state?

  Autonomous state
• What is a strength of the bottom-up approach?

  Evidence for geographical profiling supports its effectiveness
• How do token economies work to manage schizophrenia?

  They use reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors
• What did Ludrigan and Canter (2001) find in their analysis of murder cases?

  Regular spatial consistency in killer behavior
• What is a weakness of token economies for schizophrenia?

  They may not address underlying causes of symptoms
• What is a weakness of geographical profiling?

  The body may not always be found
• How might each of the approaches explain criminal behaviour?

  Different psychological perspectives provide varied explanations
• What did Copson (1995) find regarding the usefulness of profiling?

  83% found it useful, but only 3% led to captures
• What is offender profiling?

  Analyzing crime scenes to identify offender characteristics