Brain Differences in Murderers: Raine's Study on Brain Activity and Violence, Lecture notes of Psychology

Download Brain Differences in Murderers: Raine's Study on Brain Activity and Violence and more Lecture notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Raine’s methodology Raine used PET scans to investigate brain differences in non-murderers and murderers who were pleading NGRI. The experimental group/murderers were 39 males and 2 females, with a mean age of 34.3 years. They were referred to the University of California. The reasons for referral included: 6 schizophrenics 23 with a history of head injury or organic brain damage 3 with a history of psychoactive substance abuse 2 with affective disorder 2 with epilepsy 3 with a history of hyperactivity and learning disability 2 with passive-aggressive or paranoid personality disorder. A control group was created by matching each murderer with a normal subject of the same sex and age who had been tested using identical PET imaging procedures in the same laboratory. The 6 murderers (all men) who had been diagnosed as schizophrenic by psychiatrists were individually matched on age and sex with 6 schizophrenics from a larger psychiatric sample. The 41 controls (39 men, 2 women) had a mean age of 31.7 years and had been screened for health by physical exam, medical history, and a psychiatric interview. No subject was taking any medication. Raine’s procedure Ten minutes before the fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) injection, participants were given practice trials on a continuous performance task (CPT). Thirty seconds before injection, the task was started so that initial task novelty would not affect the results of the PET scan. The FDG tracer was injected into each participant. The FDG was taken up by the brain for a 32-minute period during which the participant completed a continuous performance task (CPT). The participant was then transferred to a PET scanner where the brain was scanned in 10 mm horizontal slices. Raine’s findings The 41 murderers had significantly lower glucose metabolism relative to the control group. Murderers had significantly lower parietal glucose metabolism than controls, especially in the left angular gyrus. Murderers were identical to controls on temporal lobe glucose metabolism. Murderers were found to show significantly higher occipital lobe glucose metabolism than controls. Murderers showed an abnormal asymmetry of activity with reduced left and increased right activity in the amygdala and hippocampus, compared to controls. There were no significant differences for the amount of midbrain and cerebellum activity between murderers and controls. The groups did not differ on any aspect of behavioural performance on the continuous performance task. Raine’s conclusions Raine stated that the findings of his research cannot be taken to demonstrate that violence is determined by biology. Raine made it clear that social, psychological, cultural, and situational factors also play important roles in predisposing to violence. The data do not demonstrate that murderers pleading NGRI are not responsible for their actions, nor do they demonstrate that PET scans can be used as a diagnostic technique. The findings do not establish causal link between brain dysfunction and violence cannot be generalised at the present date from NGRI murder cases to other types of violent offenders. Biological classic evidence: Raine Ethics of Raine’s research (PEEL) P - There may have been a lack of valid consent. E - The murderers were pleading NGRI, therefore they may not have understood exactly what the research was that they were taking part in, due to having mental health issues. E – This is especially true of schizophrenic and brain injury participants who have significantly impaired cognitive functioning. It would not be fair to scan their brains without them knowing the reasons why and also the implications for those who were NGRI. L – In order to make the research ethical, it should have been fully explained to the participants, or there should have been a responsible adult/legal representative who agreed for them to take part. P – There may have been a risk of psychological harm. E - If participants found the performance task difficult, it could have made them anxious or lowered their self-esteem. E – This type of stress or embarrassment may have been especially significant for those participants who suffered from epilepsy (where stress can cause seizures) and those with personality disorders. Psychologists should always aim to reduce harm and make their participants feel safe within the research. L – Raine should have debriefed his participants, explaining that their performance on the CPT was not a reflection of their ability, it was just a task to keep the brain active. The right to withdraw should also have been given if participants did not want to take part in the CPT. Social implications of Raine’s research P – The results of this research may mean that courts can solely use biological evidence against people who are convicted of murder or manslaughter. E - If the research concludes that violent behaviour is innate and not a learnt behaviour, people with similar brain abnormalities to Raine’s participants may be imprisoned without consideration for their social situation. E – This would have a knock on effect on society because it would mean that successful psychological treatments, such as restorative justice and anger management, would not be used to rehabilitate offenders, they may just receive forced drug treatment or psychosurgery with no chance to rehabilitate because if the cause of their crime is biological, then physical treatments are the only ones that would work. L – Long term imprisonment with physical therapies would cost taxpayers a lot of money, not only for the treatments, but also for housing and feeding criminals who may otherwise be able to reform and be reintroduced into society to contribute to the workforce. P – The results have an effect on the judicial system. E - If the research concludes that murderers are born not made, it takes away the element of free will. If people are not to blame for their crimes it is seen as natural, therefore we could not imprison them. E – This means that society would be at risk because murderers would be able to carry on with their lives as normal which would leave people afraid to enjoy the freedoms they are used to with criminals being locked away and paying for their crimes. L – However, Raine did warn that his results should not be taken at face value and that other factors, such as social environment, need to be taken into consideration. Therefore, as long as his conclusions are acted upon, society should be safe from violent criminals who cannot use biology as an excuse for their actions. Classic evidence knowledge organiser: Raine