Raine

• Methodology 


  quasi-experiment

  matched pairs design

  IV-NGRI or not

  DV-brain differences
• Methodology 


  Murderers(experimental group)

  -41 pps(39 men and 2 women),mean age 34.3.

  -all been charged with murder or manslaughter and pleaded not gulity by reason of insanity or incompetence to stand trial

  -pps were referred to University of California for examination to obtain proof of diminished capacity

  -pps were instructed to be medication free,checked with a urine scan,2 weeks prior to the brain scanning
• Murderers


  Schizophrenia-6

  Head injury or brain damage-23

  Psychoactive drug abuse-3

  Affective disorder-2

  Epilepsy-2

  Hyperactivity and learning disability-3

  Personality disorder -2
• Methodology


  Control group

  matching each murderer with a normal individual of the same sex and age.

  Schizophrenics were matched with schizophrenics.

  All other control pps had no history of psychiatric illness nor did any close relatives.

  None were taking medication
• Procedures


  opportunity sampling

  PET scan to study brain activity

  All pps were injected with a tracer(fluorodeoxyglucose FDG)which is taken up by active areas of the brain.

  All pps were asked to do a continuous performance task(CPT),it was made to specifically activate target areas of the brain.
• Procedures


  1-Participants were given a chance to practice to CPT before receving the FDG

  2-30 seconds before the FDG pps started the CPT so that the initial task novelty wouldnt be FDG labelled

  3-32 minutes after the FDG,a PET scan was done of each pp.Ten horizontal slices (pictures) of their brain were recorded using the peel and box technique.

  The article provides precise details of scanning techniques so the sudy can be replicated-reliability
• Findings


  Brain differences

  REDUCED activity in the murderers in areas linked to violence

  Prefrontal cortex

  Left angular gyrus

  Corpus callosum

  Left Hemisphere-amygdala,thalumus+hippocampus
• Findings


  Brain differences

  INCREASED activity in the murderers not linked to violence

  Cerebellum

  Right Hemisphere-amygdala,thalamus,hippocampus
• Findings


  NO DIFFERENCE between murderers and control in areas not linked to violence

  Caudate

  Putamen

  Globus pallidus

  Midbrain
• Findings


  performance on CPT

  Performed similarly,any differences were not due to this
• Findings


  Differences between murderers and control group

  Handedness-6 murderers were left handed,less amygdala asymmetry and higher prefrontal activity than right handed murderers

  Ethnicity-14 murderers were non-white,no difference in brain activity

  Head injury-23 murderers had a head injury,didnt differ to those with no history of brain injury
• Conclusions


  • Past research has identified links between areas of the brain and aggression
  • Findings are supported by this study
• Brain areas linked to aggression

  • Amygdala-aggressive behaviour, lack of fear if destructed-fearlessness
  • Hippocampus-modulates aggression, responsible for inhibiting aggression
• Murderers pleading NGRI (Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity)


  Have different brain functioning to normal individuals
• Neural processes underlying violence are complex and can't be reduced to a single brain mechanism
• Violent behaviour can probably best be explained by disruption of networks that predispose an individual to violent behaviour
• Conclusions


  Warning

  Recognise what these results dont demonstrate

  1-results do not show that violent behaviour is determined by biology alone-clearly social,psychological,cultural and situational factors play a role
• Conclusions


  Warning

  2-the results do not show that murderers pleading gulity NGRI are not responsible for their actions,nor PET scans can be used as a means of diagnosing violent individuals.
• Conclusions


  Warning

  3-The results do not show that brain dysfunction causes violence.It may even be that brain dysfunction is an effect of violence
• Conclusions


  Warning

  4-The results do not show that violence can be explained by the results,the results relate only to criminal behaviour
• Evaluation-Methodology and procedures


  A quasi-experiment

  IV and DV,however the IV in this study was an existing condition,not manipulated by the experimenter

  Casual conclusions are not justified-quasi experiment.The findings do not show that violent behaviour is determined by biology alone-thus a limitation.

  Readers may misinterpret the findings and assume criminal behaviour is predetermined
• Evaluation-Methodology and procedures


  The research technique

  Data was collected by using PET scans-studies the brain in a way not previously possible,permit researchers to study detailed brain regions.

  In the past researchers relied on post-mortem examinations.

  PET scans also enable the brain to be examined in action
• Evaluation-Methodology and procedures


  The sample

  murderers were not typical of all violent individuals,Raine acknowledges this.
• Evaluation Social implication


  Education

  raises questions about finding children at school who may have predispositions to antisocial behaviour through brain imaging techniques

  implementing programs to prevent antisocial behaviour early on
• Evaluation Social implication


  Families

  examining children of parents with criminal predispositions

  Potential blame or guilt associated with identifying genetic factors for behaviour

  Eg- Jim Fallon
• Evaluation Ethical issue


  Valid consent

  murderers may not have been mentally competent to provide consent due to NGRI.

  They may not have fully understood the task or found it difficult,lowering self-esteem(psychological harm)

  May have nit realised what is involved in a PET scan and found it distressing

  Not understood right to withdraw,especially as prisoners
• Evaluation Ethical issues


  Socially sensitive research

  refers to any research that has consequences for the pps,in this case the murderers and if our knowledge of criminal behaviour is advanced by this research.

  If murderers are born,it could be disadvantageous for people with similar brain abnormalities.

  Could be imprisoned without trail.