Individual differences - cognitive factors

• This approach focusses on our thinking patterns and how our understanding of the world around us can impact our behaviour
• Cognitive approaches to criminality are based on the idea that people who commit crimes do so because they have distorted or irrational beliefs about themselves, others and their environment
• The cognitive assumption is based on the idea that the human mind works like a computer, and cognitive psychologists suggest that criminal behaviour is an ‘output’ of the faulty thinking process.
• Cognitive distortions

  A form of irrational thinking where reality becomes distorted, a person believes that their perception of events is correct, but in fact it is wrong
• What is an attribution ?

  what you think when you observe someone’s actions and draw an inference about what it mean
• What is a hostile attribution ?

  drawing negative inferences and always thinking the worst.
• Hostile attribution is linked to criminal behaviour as it leads to increased levels of aggression, impulsive violence.
• Minimisation

  Under exaggerating the consequences of a situation, the seriousness is often overlooked. This reduces feeling of guilt and helps individuals accept the consequences of their behaviour
• Kholbergs theory moral reasoning applies here, as each stage represents a more mature and logical consistant form of moral understanding. people progress through these stages due to biological maturity.
• Pre-conventional level - children accept ruled that are given from authority figures cations that result in punishment are bad an action that result in reward are good 


  breaking the law is justified if the rewards outweigh the cost, most criminals are at this stage
• Conventional level - believe that conformity to social rules is desirable, this is not one out of self interest, maintaining current social system ensures human relationship and social order 


  Criminals may break rules to protect family of friends or others, if they think society would have done so
• post conventional level - realisation that some laws can be changed and some values are relative. moral behaviour is guided by the principle of trying to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number 


  This level is not associated with criminal behaviour, or large amount of incarcerated prisoners.
• Supporting evidence for kohlbergs moral reading in prisoners is gudjonsson et.al