Criminal psychology — Edexcel GCSE Psychology
Test yourself on Criminal psychology with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
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Criminal psychology explained
Learning theories explain criminality as acquired behaviour.
Read the full explanation
Skinner's Operant Conditioning suggests consequences shape actions. Positive reinforcement (gaining stolen money) and negative reinforcement (escaping threats) increase crime. Positive punishment (fines) and negative punishment (losing liberty) decrease it. Primary reinforcers satisfy basic needs; secondary reinforcers (money) buy them. Bandura's Social Learning Theory posits crime is learnt via observational learning. Individuals identify with role models and model their behaviour. Seeing a model rewarded acts as vicarious reinforcement, encouraging imitation. Strengths include practical applications like token economies, but weaknesses include ignoring biological factors.
Your focus
- Differentiate between the four types of consequences in operant conditioning.
- Explain the process of observational learning using key terms from Social Learning Theory.
- Evaluate learning theories of criminality by identifying at least one strength and one weakness for each.
Criminal psychology exam tips
Marking Points
- Define positive reinforcement as adding a pleasant stimulus to increase behaviour, and negative reinforcement as removing an unpleasant stimulus.
- Distinguish between positive punishment (adding an unpleasant consequence) and negative punishment (removing a pleasant consequence).
- Explain that primary reinforcers satisfy biological needs, whereas secondary reinforcers are associated with primary ones.
- Describe how observational learning occurs when an individual identifies with a role model and imitates their modelled behaviour.
- Evaluate the theories by discussing strengths, such as explaining environmental influences, and weaknesses, such as neglecting genetic factors.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use concrete examples of criminal behaviour, such as theft or vandalism, when explaining operant conditioning concepts.
- 💡Clearly link vicarious reinforcement to the observer seeing the role model's consequences, not their own.
- 💡When evaluating, contrast learning theories with biological explanations to highlight their failure to account for innate factors.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing negative reinforcement with punishment. Correction: Negative reinforcement increases a behaviour by removing something unpleasant, whereas punishment decreases a behaviour.
- Using 'modelling' and 'imitation' interchangeably without context. Correction: Modelling refers to the role model demonstrating the behaviour, which the observer then imitates.
- Assuming primary reinforcers are always more powerful than secondary ones. Correction: Secondary reinforcers like money can be highly motivating because they provide access to multiple primary reinforcers.