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CRIMINAL VIOLENCE: A SELF AND SOCIAL COGNITION INTERPRETATION
Abstract
This project was undertaken in an attempt to integrate data from the realm of personality psychology with data of a more sociological nature. It was hoped that such an approach would help circumvent some of the problems inherent in the "positivistic" orientation, which has dominated research in this area for the past 100 years, and in the process, would also aid in the construction of a more complete profile of the violent offender. In Study I, 38 males convicted of various offenses, both assaultive and nonassaultive, were administered a detailed demographics interview, and the processes they employ in the evaluation of self and others were assessed. Respondents were separated into three groups: assaultive, non-assaultive, and undefined, based on their arrest history. T-tests were computed for all group comparisons on the self/other evaluation data and on the punishment/abuse data from the interview. The assaultive-nonassaultive comparison yielded some significant and important differences relating to evaluation of self and cognitive/perceptual styles. Stepwise inclusion multiple regression was conducted utilizing the significant self evaluation variables and the punishment/abuse variables as predictors and group classification as the dependent variable. The 10 variables accounted for 36% of the total variance and yielded 7 significant F's. Study II examined differences in cognitive and moral development. Levels of logical and moral reasoning skills were assessed. The 28 respondents were drawn from the same general population and were categorized utilzing the same criteria employed in Study I. T-tests were computed on the cognitive and moral development variables, and multiple regression was carried out with the cognitive and moral development variables as predictors and group classification as the dependent variable. The results indicated that there is more involved in moral decision making than can be assessed by a simple pencil and paper technique, and demonstrated that logical reasoning skills are not a major area of difference between assaultive and nonassaultive criminals.
Subject Area
Social psychology
Recommended Citation
MARTIN, RANDY L, "CRIMINAL VIOLENCE: A SELF AND SOCIAL COGNITION INTERPRETATION" (1983). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8404838.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8404838