Criminal Psychology — OCR GCSE Psychology Revision

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain stru

    Topic Synopsis

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain structures, and two key theoretical models: the Multi-store Model and the Theory of Reconstructive Memory. It also explores practical applications in advertising and neuropsychological measurement.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Examiner Marking Points

    Criminal Psychology

    OCR
    GCSE

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain structures, and two key theoretical models: the Multi-store Model and the Theory of Reconstructive Memory. It also explores practical applications in advertising and neuropsychological measurement.

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    Objectives
    3
    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
    8
    Mark Points

    Topic Overview

    Criminal Psychology is a fascinating area of OCR GCSE Psychology that explores why people commit crimes and how society responds to criminal behaviour. You'll investigate biological, psychological, and social explanations for offending, from genetic predispositions to the influence of upbringing and peer pressure. The topic also covers how the criminal justice system uses psychology to catch suspects (e.g., through eyewitness testimony and police interviews) and to rehabilitate offenders. Understanding these ideas helps you think critically about real-world issues like punishment, prison reform, and the reliability of evidence in court.

    This topic builds on your knowledge of research methods and core psychological approaches (e.g., biological, cognitive, social). You'll apply concepts like operant conditioning, social learning theory, and the role of the amygdala to explain criminal acts. You'll also evaluate key studies, such as Bandura's Bobo doll experiment and Loftus and Palmer's research on eyewitness testimony. By the end, you should be able to discuss the strengths and limitations of different explanations for crime and suggest how psychology can improve the criminal justice system.

    Criminal Psychology matters because it connects directly to current debates about crime rates, policing, and justice. It encourages you to question stereotypes (e.g., 'all criminals are mentally ill') and to consider ethical issues in research and practice. Whether you're interested in becoming a forensic psychologist, a lawyer, or simply a more informed citizen, this topic gives you the tools to analyse criminal behaviour with a critical, evidence-based eye.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Biological explanations: genetics (e.g., twin studies), brain abnormalities (e.g., amygdala dysfunction), and the role of neurotransmitters like serotonin in aggression.
    • →Social learning theory: Bandura's Bobo doll study shows that children learn aggressive behaviour through observation and imitation of role models.
    • →Eysenck's theory of criminal personality: extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism as traits linked to offending, with a focus on the biological basis of personality.
    • →Cognitive explanations: moral reasoning (Kohlberg's stages) and the role of cognitive distortions (e.g., hostile attribution bias) in justifying crime.
    • →Eyewitness testimony: factors affecting accuracy, including leading questions (Loftus and Palmer), post-event information, and the weapon focus effect.

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Stages of information processing: input, encoding, storage, retrieval, and output
    • Types of forgetting: decay, displacement, and retrieval failure (lack of cues)
    • Structure and functions of the brain in memory formation
    • Impact of neurological damage on memory (hippocampus, frontal lobe, cerebellum)
    • Multi-store Model of memory structure and process
    • Theory of Reconstructive Memory structure and process
    • Application of memory techniques in advertising (cues, repetition, avoiding overload, autobiographical advertising)
    • Use of neuropsychological tests like the Wechsler Memory Scale

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Stages of information processing: input, encoding, storage, retrieval, and output
    • Types of forgetting: decay, displacement, and retrieval failure (lack of cues)
    • Structure and functions of the brain in memory formation
    • Impact of neurological damage on memory (hippocampus, frontal lobe, cerebellum)
    • Multi-store Model of memory structure and process
    • Theory of Reconstructive Memory structure and process
    • Application of memory techniques in advertising (cues, repetition, avoiding overload, autobiographical advertising)
    • Use of neuropsychological tests like the Wechsler Memory Scale

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Ensure you can 'tell the story' of the two core studies (Wilson et al. and Braun et al.) including background, method, design, sample, materials, procedure, results, conclusions, and criticisms.
    • 💡Be prepared to link memory theory to the brain and neuropsychology, as this is an embedded theme.
    • 💡Understand how to apply memory concepts to real-world scenarios like advertising.
    • 💡When evaluating studies, always comment on methodology (e.g., sample size, ecological validity, ethical issues) and link your evaluation to the question. For example, in a question about eyewitness testimony, mention that lab studies may lack realism but allow control of variables.
    • 💡Use specific terminology from the specification, such as 'hostile attribution bias', 'cognitive distortions', 'operant conditioning', and 'diathesis-stress model'. This shows the examiner you know the key concepts.
    • 💡For 'explain' or 'discuss' questions, always present at least two sides of an argument. For instance, when discussing biological explanations, also mention social or cognitive factors to show a balanced understanding.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Misconception: 'All criminals have a specific 'criminal gene'.' Correction: There is no single 'crime gene'. Genetic factors may increase vulnerability, but they interact with environmental triggers (e.g., abuse, poverty). Twin studies show higher concordance rates for identical twins, but not 100%.
    • Misconception: 'Eyewitness testimony is always reliable.' Correction: Memory is reconstructive and easily distorted. Leading questions, post-event information, and stress can significantly alter recall. Loftus and Palmer's research shows that changing one word (e.g., 'smashed' vs 'hit') can change speed estimates.
    • Misconception: 'Criminal behaviour is always caused by mental illness.' Correction: Most offenders do not have a diagnosed mental disorder. While conditions like antisocial personality disorder are more common in prison populations, the majority of crimes are committed by people without severe mental health issues. Social and economic factors are often stronger predictors.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Research methods: understanding of experiments, correlations, and ethical guidelines is essential for evaluating studies in criminal psychology.
    • •Biological psychology: basic knowledge of the brain (e.g., frontal lobe, amygdala) and the nervous system helps with biological explanations of crime.
    • •Social psychology: concepts like conformity, obedience, and social learning theory (from other topics) are directly applied in criminal psychology.

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    Comprehensive revision notes & examples

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    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Describe
    Explain
    Evaluate
    Apply
    Design

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