cognitive distortions

• What are cognitive distortions in the context of offending behavior?

  • Faulty thinking patterns in information processing.
  • Hostile Attribution Bias: perceiving neutral actions as hostile.
  • Minimization: downplaying the severity of one's actions.
• What is Hostile Attribution Bias?

  Tendency to see neutral actions as hostile.
• What did Justye's study reveal about violent offenders?

  They perceive ambiguous faces as more hostile.
• What did Frame's study find regarding aggressive children?

  They perceive ambiguous situations as more hostile.
• What is minimization in the context of offending behavior?

  Downplaying the severity of one's actions.
• What did Barberee find regarding sexual offenders and minimization?

  54% denied committing a crime, 40% minimized harm.
• What are the evaluations of cognitive distortions?

  • Real-world application of CBT to reduce reoffending.
  • Type of offense affects cognitive distortions.
  • Theory is descriptive, not explanatory.
• How can cognitive distortions be applied in real-world settings?

  CBT can reduce reoffending by addressing distortions.
• What did Howitt find regarding cognitive distortions in sex offenders?

  Non-contact offenders had more cognitive distortions.
• What is a limitation of the cognitive distortions theory?

  It describes but does not explain criminal actions.
• What are cognitive distortions?

  Faulty thinking biases in information processing.
• What is hostile attribution bias?

  Tendency to perceive neutral behaviors as hostile.
• What did Justye find regarding violent offenders?

  They perceive ambiguous images as more hostile.
• What did Frame's study reveal about aggressive children?

  They perceive ambiguous situations as more hostile.
• What is minimization in the context of cognitive distortions?

  Downplaying one's behavior and its consequences.
• What did Barberee find regarding sexual offenders and minimization?

  54% denied committing a crime, 40% minimized harm.
• What is a real-world application of understanding cognitive distortions?

  CBT can reduce reoffending by addressing distortions.
• How does the type of offense affect cognitive distortions?

  Non-contact sex offenders show more distortions.
• What is a limitation of the cognitive distortions theory?

  It describes the criminal mind but lacks explanation.
• What are the three dimensions of personality according to Eysenck?

  Extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism
• What combination of traits does Eysenck argue leads to criminal behaviour?

  High E, high N, high P
• What is linked to high extraversion according to Eysenck?

  Low cortical arousal
• What did Eysenck suggest about criminals and conditioning?

  They are less easily conditioned
• What is a strength of Eysenck’s theory?

  Links personality, biology, and crime
• What is a criticism of Eysenck’s theory regarding personality?

  Personality can change with context
• What cultural issue affects Eysenck’s research?

  Conducted on Western male populations
• What methodological issue affects the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire?

  Social desirability bias
• What do cognitive explanations of offending focus on?

  Faulty thought patterns and cognitive distortions
• What is hostile attribution bias (HAB)?


  Interpreting ambiguous situations as threatening
• What is minimalisation in the context of offending?

  Downplaying or denying the seriousness of crimes
• At what level do many offenders operate according to Kohlberg's theory?

  Pre-conventional level
• What is a major strength of cognitive explanations?

  Practical application in rehabilitation
• What empirical support exists for cognitive interventions?

  Less aggression in anger management participants
• What limitation do cognitive explanations face?

  They are largely descriptive, not explanatory
• What methodological issue affects research on cognitive distortions?

  Reliance on self-report measures
• What does Differential Association Theory propose?

  Criminal behaviour is learned through social interactions
• What does Sutherland's theory suggest about exposure to pro-criminal attitudes?

  Increases likelihood of offending
• What makes Differential Association Theory a scientific approach?

  It allows for mathematical prediction of offending
• What is a strength of Differential Association Theory?

  Accounts for a wide range of crimes
• What is a significant limitation of Differential Association Theory?

  Difficult to empirically test concepts