Course Objectives
This course provides an overview of the scientific and applied aspects of criminal behavior. It covers aggression, psychopathy, crime and mental disorders, developmental risk factors, behavioral analysis, lie detection, and treatment and intervention models in correctional settings.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge regarding:
- CLO1: Comprehend the core concepts of Criminal Psychology, including personality factors and aggression.
- CLO2: Identify the most common psychological disorders in offender populations and evaluate protective/risk factors.
- CLO3: Understand the developmental pathways of habitual criminal behavior and psychoanalytical theories.
- CLO4: Apply techniques for observing behavior and body language to determine truthfulness and deception.
Syllabus & Lecture Details
| Lecture | Topics / Contents | CLOs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Criminal Psychology: Nature, scope, and general psychological factors responsible for crime (personality, deprivation, stress, intelligence, motivation). | CLO1 |
| 2 | Psychological Disorders: Common disorders in offender populations, psychology of violence, intimidation, and sexual assault. | CLO2 |
| 3 | Protective & Risk Factors: Social settings, parenting styles, criminogenic childhood environments, and delinquent peers. | CLO2 |
| 4 | Developmental Theory and Criminal Behavior: Development of habitual criminal behavior; Freud and psychoanalysis. | CLO3 |
| 5 | Treatment & Intervention: Psychologists' roles in prisons and forensic hospitals, common treatments, special issues for juveniles or mentally ill offenders. | CLO3 |
| 6 | Mid-term Examination | - |
| 7 | Determining Truthfulness: Offenders' verbal responses, deception detection, and forensic interviews. | CLO4 |
| 8 | Lie Detection: Body language, micro-expressions, behavioral observation, and physiological indicators. | CLO4 |
| 9 | Case Study & Expert Panel Discussion | - |
| 10 | Presentation | - |
Quick Course Data
Credit points
2 Credits
Course Type
Compulsory
Guided Self-Study
10 Hours
Assessment & Evaluation
Class Attendance & Participation5%
Writing Assignments10%
Mid-Term Exam15%
Presentation10%
Final Exam60%
Recommended Readings
- Curt R. Bartol & Anne M. Bartol (2004) - Introduction to Forensic Psychology, SAGE
- J. C. Coleman (1980) - Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life, Foreman & Co.
- L. S. Halleck (1972) - Psychiatry and the Dilemmas of Crime, University of California Press
- P.E. Hollander (1971) - Principles and Methods of Social Psychology, Oxford University Press
- M. S. Sherif & C. W. Sherif (1995) - Outline of Social Psychology, Harper & Row