Cognitive distortions

• What is it ?

  Faulty, biased And irrational ways of thinking that mean we perceive ourselves

  • other people and/or the world in a way that does not match reality and is usually negative
  • therefore a persons perception of events is wrong but they think it’s accurate
• What do distortions allow ?

  a criminal to deny or rationalise their behaviour
• What are the two distortions ?

  1. Hostile attribution bias
  2. minimisation
• What is attribution ?


  what we think when we observe someone’s actions

  • the meaning behind it
• What is hostile attribution bias ?

  • when we assume the worse about someone’s behaviour
  • offenders may misinterpret others actions, words or expressions as aggressive, provocative or threatening when they are not
  • allows offenders to rationalise their behaviour by blaming others
• Shonenberg and Justeye


  presented 55 violent offenders with images of emotionally ambiguous facial expressions

  • the faces shows angry, happy or fearful emotions in varying intensities
  • when compared to non aggresive matches control group the violent offenders were significantly more likely to perceived the images as angry and hostile
• What is minimalisation ?


  the attempt to downplay the seriousness of one’s own offence to explain the consequences as less significant or damaging than they really are

  • this helps them accept the consequences of their own behaviour and reduce negative emotions
• What did pollock and hash mall report ?

  • 35% of child molesters argues that they were just being affectionate
  • non sexual 36% stated that victim gave consent
• Barbarre


  Investigated 26 Incas weaves Dallas

  • found that 54% denied they had committed an offence at all
  • and 40% bad minimised harm to the victim
• Practical application ?


  Treatment of offenders

  • rehabilitation aims to make criminals face their crimes and establish less distorted views of their actions
  • reduce risk of reoffending