linsey- cognitive

• what is cognition:


  thinking mental processes, problem solving, decision making, awareness and understanding, intelligence and reasoning. your cognition effects: attitudes/beliefs/emotions and behaviour (including criminal behaviour)
• how might offenders have poor cognition?

  yochelson and samenow- offenders often have thinking errors. there are a range of biases/errors in their decision making (lying, secretive, need for power and control, super optimism, not understanding others, lack of trust, uniqueness, victim stance)
• Kohlberg:


  suggested that out ideas of right and wrong develop through a series of 3 levels, study consisted of 72 boys aged 10-16 years.58 of whom were followed up yearly for 20 years. each boy was given a 2 hour interview based on 10 dilemmas, study measured the reasoning used to justify response, he found the reason changed as the children got older
• Kohlberg stages


  • Punishment/obedience - whatever leads to punishment is wrong
  • Rewards - the right way to behave is the way that is rewarded
  • Good intentions - behaving in ways that conform to good behaviour
  • Obedience to authority
  • Difference between moral and legal right - rules should sometimes be broken
  • Individual principles of conscience - takes account of views of everyone affected by a moral decision
• moral development:


  step 1 and 2= level one preconventioal (younger than 6) step 3-4= level 2 conventional level (7-11 years) step 5-6= post conventional (11years) - people can only pass through these levels in the order listed, each stage replaces the reasoning typical of the earlier stage, not everyone achieves all the stages
• positives to kohlbergs moral development theory:


  -repeated studies have shown that most young male offenders do not go beyond stage 4 -good at explaining crimes like theft and robbery often involve reasoning - good at explaining violent crimes often impulsive acts
• Negatives of Kohlberg's moral development theory

  • Difficult to distinguish between stage 5 and 6
  • Cultural variations not accounted for: stage 5 more individualistic in western cultures than developing countries
  • Gender bias
  • Girls of 11-12 years at stage 5 scored well on test of abstract reasoning
  • Complex and artificial dilemma story: largely measuring thinking rather than behaviour
  • Can think morally but not act morally
• cognitive behaviour; therapy: think first

  CBT- think first- group or 1-2-1 sessions, repeat offenders/ probation. learn social skills, problems solving and consequences of their action. 305 less likely to re offender =, re convicted but a lot of people drop out of course
• cognitive behavioural therapy: art 


  agression répression training-anger management, violent crime, uses role play, interpersonal skills =, anger management. lower reconnection rates =, shows improved thinking skills but not always improved behaviour