The contribution of neuroscience to forensic explanation

Ward, Tony; Wilshire, Carolyn E.; Jackson, Lucy

doi:10.1080/1068316x.2018.1427746

Cited by 21 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…A good example of this problem in cognitive neuroscience is to assume that the descriptive task of mapping associations between neural activity patterns and psychological functions such as emotion detection provides an explanation of the latter. Knowing that individuals with psychopathic traits show reduced neural responses on functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans in several key regions (e.g., amygdala and also ventral prefrontal regions) does not show that that psychopathic traits are caused by abnormalities within the brain (Ward et al 2018). These studies only provide a description of the different types of neural patterns that constitute what is termed "psychopathic" functioning and have no etiological import.…”

Section: Failure To Distinguish Distinct Research Tasksmentioning

confidence: 94%

Why theory matters in correctional psychology

Ward

2020

Forens Psychiatr Psychol Kriminol

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Contemporary forensic psychology is characterized by a relative lack of attention to theory building and conceptual analysis. In my view, this neglect of theory amounts to theoretical illiteracy and represents a significant obstacle to the explanation of crime and its management. In this paper I explore the problem of theoretical illiteracy for forensic psychological research and practice. First, I discuss why theory is important in science and the dangers of ignoring it. Second, I review the role of theory in addressing the myriad of practical problems facing human beings. Third, I outline three strategies to increase researchers and practitioners' appreciation of theory construction and development: adopting a more comprehensive model of scientific method, epistemic iteration, and promoting model pluralism. Fourth, I examine two examples of core concepts from correctional psychology, that of dynamic risk factors and classification, and demonstrate how the above strategies can be used to address problems with these constructs. Keywords Classification • Theoretical illiteracy • Dynamic risk factors • Protective factors • Treatment Zur Bedeutung von Theorie in der Vollzugspsychologie Theorie-Illetrismus und therapeutische Ineffektivität Zusammenfassung Die forensische Psychologie ist derzeit durch ein relatives Defizit an Aufmerksamkeit für Theoriebildung und konzeptuelle Analyse gekennzeichnet. Aus Sicht des Autors läuft diese Vernachlässigung auf einen Theorie-Illetrismus hinaus und stellt ein erhebliches Hindernis für die Erklärung von Straftaten und deren Bewältigung dar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das Problem des Theorie-Illetrismus für die forensisch-psychologische Forschung und Praxis untersucht. Zunächst wird diskutiert, warum Theorie in der Wissenschaft wichtig ist und welche Gefahren entstehen, wenn sie ignoriert wird. Zweitens wird die Rolle der Theorie beim Umgang mit den zahllosen praktischen Problemen, mit denen Menschen konfrontiert sind, untersucht. Dann werden 3 Möglichkeiten skizziert, wie Forschende und konkret Praktizierende die Theoriebildung und-entwicklung besser einschätzen können: die Annahme eines umfassenderen Modells wissenschaftlicher Methodik, die epistemische Iteration und die Förderung des Modellpluralismus. Viertens werden exemplarisch 2 Schlüsselkonzepte aus der Justizvollzugspsychologie überprüft: dynamische Risikofaktoren und Klassifikation. Dabei wird aufgezeigt, wie die beschriebenen Strategien eingesetzt werden können, um Probleme mit diesen Konstrukten anzugehen.

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Section: Failure To Distinguish Distinct Research Tasksmentioning

confidence: 94%

Why theory matters in correctional psychology

Ward

2020

Forens Psychiatr Psychol Kriminol

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“…One aim of this special issue of Psychology, Crime and Law on "Understanding Crime" is to address the question of how those disciplines engaged in investigating the causes of criminal behavior may make progress in understanding and explaining it. In recent years, a small number of scholars involved in the empirical study of crime have looked to philosophical models of scientific progress for normative guidance (Durrant and Ward, 2015;Ward, Wilshire, and Jackson, 2018). In this section, I describe a set of conceptual tools on offer in philosophy of science for thinking about scientific progress, especially in areas of science that investigate complex phenomena.…”

Section: Conceptual Toolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead we find that investigators working within and across fields, even those who use the same theoretical framework, may put forward different general and operational definitions for the same constructs (Fortune and Heffernan, 2019;McGee and Farrington, 2019;Ward and Carter, 2019), barring the possibility of seamlessly integrating research findings from different studies purportedly related to the same construct. Additionally, the constructs used to pick out explanatory targets and the causal variables used to explain them are in some cases "lumpy"-grouping together heterogenous as opposed to homogeneous phenomena or grouping together multiple variables that ought to be treated of independently (Fortune and Heffernan, 2019;Ward and Carter, 2019;Ward and Fortune, 2016;Ward, Wilshire, and Jackson, 2018).…”

Section: The Conceptual Theoretical and Explanatory Landscape In Crimentioning

confidence: 99%

Achieving cumulative progress in understanding crime: some insights from the philosophy of science

Sullivan

2019

Psychology, Crime & Law

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Crime is a serious social problem, but its causes are not exclusively social. There is growing consensus that explaining and preventing it requires interdisciplinary research efforts. Indeed, the landscape of contemporary criminology includes a variety of theoretical models that incorporate psychological, biological and sociological factors. These multidisciplinary approaches, however, have yet to radically advance scientific understandings of crime and shed light on how to manage it. In this paper, using conceptual tools on offer in the philosophy of science in combination with theoretical work represented in this special volume of Psychology, Crime and Law, I provide some perspective on why explanatory progress in criminology has remained elusive and evaluate some positive proposals for attaining it.

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“…The search for neurobiological correlates of adverse social behaviors, such as violence, addiction, and crime, encompasses an ongoing investigation into the role of functional cerebral asymmetry and interhemispheric transfer [1][2][3]. Adult antisocial behaviors are defined as disruptive behaviors that violate social rules and involve defiance of authority and disregard for the rights of others [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

There are More than Two Sides to Antisocial Behavior: The Inextricable Link between Hemispheric Specialization and Environment

Leshem¹

2020

Symmetry

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Human functions and traits are linked to cerebral networks serving different emotional and cognitive control systems, some of which rely on hemispheric specialization and integration to promote adaptive goal-directed behavior. Among the neural systems discussed in this context are those underlying pro- and antisocial behaviors. The diverse functions and traits governing our social behavior have been associated with lateralized neural activity. However, as with other complex behaviors, specific hemispheric roles are difficult to elucidate. This is due largely to environmental and contextual influences, which interact with neural substrates in the development and expression of pro and antisocial functions. This paper will discuss the reciprocal ties between environmental factors and hemispheric functioning in the context of social behavior. Rather than an exhaustive review, the paper will attempt to familiarize readers with the prominent literature and primary questions to encourage further research and in-depth discussion in this field.

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The contribution of neuroscience to forensic explanation

Cited by 21 publications

References 56 publications

Why theory matters in correctional psychology

Why theory matters in correctional psychology

Achieving cumulative progress in understanding crime: some insights from the philosophy of science

There are More than Two Sides to Antisocial Behavior: The Inextricable Link between Hemispheric Specialization and Environment

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