Linking Violent Thinking

Abstract

Violent offenders often articulate offense-supportive cognitions during rehabilitation, yet these statements have received little theoretical attention, and intervention approaches have targeted each type of statement individually, as if they were unrelated. An implicit theory approach to cognitions has proved fruitful for research and intervention. The authors apply it to violent offenders. The first study presents a grounded theory investigation of offense-supportive cognition in prisoners attending an intensive rehabilitation program for violent offenders. Analysis of offense transcripts enabled the identification of several implicit theories. These results were refined with a second sample and trialed in the rehabilitation program. Findings suggest that several implicit theories held by violent offenders are linked to each other through the widespread normalization of violence. Few offenders experienced their violent behavior as abnormal, or completely outside of their control, once initiated. The authors make suggestions for enhancing the empirical status of this research domain, particularly through experimental investigations.

Gang Membership: The Psychological Evidence

“…Ó Ciardha & Gannon, 2012) and violent offending (e.g. Polaschek, et al, 2009). Although gang affiliation has not been directly examined from an IT perspective, qualitative work highlights that gang members' violence functions on beliefs of traditional male gender values and beliefs associated with aggression (Lopez & Emmer, 2002).…”

“…However, people are highly motivated to interpret information in a way that is consistent with their Its, which can be deeply entrenched and resistant to change (Ward, 2000). This makes it more likely that inconsistent incoming information will be re-interpreted until it is consistent with the individual's existing ITs (Polaschek, et al, 2009 Consequently, when a youth becomes a gang member and accepts the gang's norms, strives to achieve status via delinquent acts, acquires the ingroup/outgroup biases associated with their new group membership, then s/he is likely to develop ITs and associated cognitive distortions that support pro-gang, pro-delinquency activities. In addition, the reinforcement that the new gang member receives from peers for acts of aggression on behalf of the gang will probably lead to a positive appraisal of personal aggression.…”

“…held by the individual are wrong (Polaschek, et al, 2009). However, people are highly motivated to interpret information in a way that is consistent with their Its, which can be deeply entrenched and resistant to change (Ward, 2000).…”

“…495). ITs are called implicit because they are seldom explicitly expressed by the holders (Ward, 2000) and they function on two main psychological constructs: beliefs and desires (Polaschek, Calvert & Gannon, 2009). Accordingly, beliefs about oneself, the world and other people are the driving force behind subsequent actions that are employed to achieve personal desires.…”

“…Taking a grounded theory approach, Polaschek et al, (2009) maintains that violence is necessary in order to achieve and/or maintain status and to demonstrate one's dominance over others. The self-preservation subtype relates to their mistrust of others and how they perceive violence as a necessary response to others who will walk all over them -if they are not violent first.…”