Criminal behavior is complex and not easily explained through a single factor. This is a two-part assignment that provides the foundation of concepts for the Unit 5 assignment. In this week’s assignment, you examine the biological influences, psychological traits, cognitive factors, and sociological influences on behavior.
Describe Criminal Behavioral Factors
Discuss the developmental risk factors that contribute to criminal behavior. Examine at least one theory used to understand the influence of developmental factors on criminal behavior.
Discuss the biological risk factors that contribute to criminal behavior. Examine at least one theory used to understand the influence of biological factors on criminal behavior.
Discuss the sociological, learning, and situational risk factors that contribute to criminal behavior. Examine at least one theory used to understand the influence of sociological, learning, and situational factors on criminal behavior.
Discuss the cognitive models of aggression and the impact cognitions have on criminal behavior. Examine at least one cognitive model of aggression used to understand the influence of aggression on criminal behavior.
Analyze Charles Manson’s Criminal Behavior
Charles Manson is an example of the complex nature of criminal behavior and the multitude of factors that can influence criminal offending and victimization. Using Charles Manson as a case example, you will examine the biological influences, psychological traits, cognitive factors, and sociological influences on behavior by responding to the following:
Describe the case of Charles Manson
Discuss how each of the types of risk factors applies:
Developmental factors
Biological factors
Sociological, learning, and situational factors
Analyze the case of Charles Manson and the role cognitive models of aggression had on his criminal lifestyle and patterns of behavior.
What cognitive errors are related to his criminal lifestyle?
What impact does cognition have on his criminal behavior?
Your paper should be between 3–5 pages in length (not including the title page, abstract, or references section). You should apply APA Style formatting throughout your paper. Include a title page, section headings, in-text citations, and a references page. You should also include an introductory paragraph, thesis sentence, and summary paragraph. Keep direct quotes to a minimum.
You should cite relevant empirical research and scholarly articles within the field of study and related areas. You should cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed journal articles that were published within the last five years. You should carefully select sources after reviewing the literature and evaluating the credibility, relevance, quality, and research merit of each source.
Learn the material and then write in your own words as to your understanding. Make sure you cite any sources that you use to gather the information that you shared throughout the paper in APA format. Wherever possible, try to use your own words in order to clearly demonstrate your understanding. Note the sources that are deemed as scholarly are peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, or scholarly books.
As for an abstract, this is not required. Abstracts are only used when you are summarizing the results of your own scholarly research. Instead, you want to provide an introductory paragraph, with a clear purpose or argument, and the main points that you want the reader to come away with after reading your paper. Work to include organized and clear paragraphs with scholarly evidence to support your ideas, and a final concluding paragraph to summarize your main ideas or argument once more. Visit the Graduate Resource Center for more tips on these points.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to cite your sources clearly and carefully in-text as well as at the end of your paper. Review the University Plagiarism/Academic Integrity Policy within the course homepage, and follow the golden rule of when in doubt, cite your source.
Your assignment should be a 3 to 5 page essay, not including the title and reference pages, and should include the following elements:
Title page: Provide your name, title of assignment, course and section number, and date.
Body: Answer all the questions in complete sentences and paragraphs.
Your responses should reflect professional writing standards, using proper tone and language. The writing and writing style should be correct and accurate, and reflect knowledge of skills and practice in the psychology profession.
Reference page: Sources listed in APA format.
Use Arial or Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced and left aligned.
Use standard 1″ margins on all sides.
Use APA formatting and citation style.
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