Question 1

What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up offender profiling?

Accepted Answer

Top-down profiling, also known as the typological approach, starts with pre-existing categories (e.g., organised vs. disorganised offenders) and matches the crime scene to one of them. It is based on FBI research and is more intuitive. Bottom-up profiling, such as investigative psychology, builds a profile from statistical analysis of crime scene data, focusing on consistency in offender behaviour. Bottom-up is considered more scientific and less reliant on subjective judgment.

Question 2

How does Eysenck's theory explain criminal behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Eysenck proposed that personality has three dimensions: extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. He argued that criminals score highly on all three. Extraverts have an under-aroused nervous system, so they seek stimulation through risky or illegal acts. Neurotics are unstable and react strongly to stress, making them prone to antisocial behaviour. Psychoticism is linked to aggression and lack of empathy. Eysenck believed these traits are largely inherited, but environmental factors like poor conditioning can also contribute.

Question 3

What is the cognitive interview and why is it effective?

Accepted Answer

The cognitive interview is a police technique designed to improve eyewitness memory recall. It includes four components: reinstating the context (mentally recreating the scene), reporting everything (even trivial details), reversing order (recalling events backwards), and changing perspective (describing from another viewpoint). It is effective because it uses principles of memory encoding and retrieval, reducing the impact of leading questions and increasing the amount of accurate information recalled.

Question 4

Can juries be biased? What psychological factors affect their decisions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, juries can be biased. Factors include pre-trial publicity (negative media coverage can prejudice jurors), defendant characteristics (attractive defendants are often judged more leniently), and the 'halo effect' (positive traits lead to favourable judgments). Additionally, minority influence can sway verdicts if a dissenting juror is consistent and confident. Research by Pennington and Hastie (1992) shows that jurors construct stories to make sense of evidence, which can introduce bias.

Question 5

What are the main criticisms of Eysenck's theory of criminal personality?

Accepted Answer

Criticisms include: (1) The theory is deterministic and ignores situational factors like poverty or peer pressure. (2) Self-report measures of personality may be biased, especially among criminals who might lie. (3) Cross-cultural studies show mixed support; for example, Bartol and Holanchock (1979) found Hispanic offenders were less extraverted than non-offenders. (4) The theory does not explain why many people with high E, N, and P scores do not commit crimes.

Question 6

How is psychology used in rehabilitation of offenders?

Accepted Answer

Psychology informs rehabilitation through programmes like anger management, which uses cognitive-behavioural techniques to help offenders recognise triggers and develop coping strategies. Restorative justice brings offenders and victims together to repair harm, reducing reoffending by fostering empathy. The 'What Works' literature (e.g., Andrews and Bonta) emphasises targeting criminogenic needs (e.g., antisocial attitudes) and using risk-need-responsivity principles to tailor interventions.

Topic 6: Criminological psychology

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in EDEXCEL A-Level Psychology

E2E stub topic

Topic 1: Social psychology

Topic 2: Cognitive psychology

Topic 3: Biological psychology

How to Revise Topic 6: Criminological psychology — Edexcel A-Level Psychology

Examiner Tips for Topic 6: Criminological psychology

Common Mistakes in Topic 6: Criminological psychology

Key Marking Points