A01

• • Kohlberg suggested that there are 3 universal levels of moral reasoning, each characterised by a certain logic:
  • pre-conventional level (punishment orientation)
  • the conventional level (maintenance of the social order)
  • post-conventional level (morality of contract and individual rights).
• level of moral reasoning

  • criminals have a lower level of moral reasoning and do not progress from the pre-conventional level
  • they seek to avoid punishment and gain rewards (child-like reasoning)
• cognitive distortions


  hostile attribution bias

  • some violent offenders misinterpret the actions of others as aggressive or confrontational when theyre not
  • researchers presented 55 violent offenders with images of emotionally ambiguous facial expressions
  • when compared with control group, offenders more likely to percieve the images as angry/hostile
• cognitive distortions


  minimalisation

  • offenders will downplay the seriousness of their offences
  • this is particularly true of sexual offenders
  • barbaree found amoungst 26 convicted rapists- 54% denied they had committed any offences at all