With ref to statement, evaluate exps of crim behavs (15)

• Para 1: cognitive factors

  One explanation of criminal behaviour is cognitive factors, such as hostile attribution bias, minimalisation, and levels of moral reasoning. Research supports hostile attribution bias as a contributor to violent offending: Schönenberg and Justye (2014) found that violent offenders misinterpreted ambiguous facial expressions as aggressive, which may lead to impulsive aggression. Similarly, Kennedy and Grubin (1992) found that sex offenders often downplayed or denied their crimes, showing use of minimalisation. Moral reasoning also links to offending, as Gudjonsson and Sigurdsson (2007) found many juvenile offenders showed pre-conventional reasoning—concerned with avoiding punishment rather than ethics. However, Krebs and Denton (2005) argue that moral thinking doesn’t always predict behaviour, as decisions may be driven by self-interest and rationalised later.
• Para 1: cognitive factors (2)

  This weakens the predictive power of moral reasoning theories and suggests cognitive explanations are limited without considering broader influences.
• Para 2: differential association theory

  • P: Another approach is differential association theory, which explains offending as learned behaviour through interactions with others.

  • E: Sutherland highlighted how criminal norms and values are passed on in social groups, including white-collar crime, challenging earlier individualistic expectations. Supporting evidence comes from Osborn and West (1979), who found sons of criminal fathers were more likely to offend, suggesting learned behaviour within the family. Akers et al. (1979) also found peer influence explained a significant portion of deviant behaviour like drug and alcohol use.

  • E: However, much of this evidence is correlational - criminals may simply associate with others like themselves. The theory also struggles to explain spontaneous or violent crimes like rape and murder, and critics argue it is hard to test or quantify what constitutes a “favourable” criminal…
• Para 2: differential association theory

  • E: … influence.

  • L: This suggests differential association is more effective at explaining non-violent crime but incomplete as a sole explanation
• Conclusion

  In conclusion, criminal behaviour is complex and no single explanation fully accounts for its causes. While cognitive and social approaches offer valuable insights, combining them - along with biological and situational factors - provides a fuller understanding of criminal behaviour