Investigating criminal thinking styles within a sample of recidivistic prisoners : the role of social learning and criminal identity

• Main Author: Boduszek, Daniel
• Published: University of Ulster 2013
• Subjects: 364.3
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.592007

Social Identity Theory (SIT) suggested that peop le's perception of, and attitudes toward in-group members ultimately derive from their desire to identify with, and belong to groups that are perceived to be superior. Due to the lack of a suitable scale to measure criminal identification among prisoners, the first empirical chapter focused on the development and va lidation of a three-dimensional scale entit led the Measure of Criminal Social Identity (MCSI) with in a sample of recidivistic prisoners. This measure was then applied in further chapters to investigate the role of criminal identity in relation to criminal thinking style. This research thesis supports the predictions of SIT, with the results demonstrating that the consequences of identification with a criminal group being that individuals perceive other in-group members as similar to themselves and consequently they show favouritism in criminal attitudes (thinking styles) and behaviour. Thus, one of the major and original findings of the current project was the identification of the mediating role played by criminal social identity in the relationship between associations with criminal friends and criminal thinking styles. These complex associations were tested within a latent variable framework. Further research also indicated a significant role played by personality traits in the prediction of criminal thinking styles through the utilization of advanced research methodologies. The direct effect of personality traits on criminal thinking style was established through the application of propensity score analysis with postmatching multivariate analysis, marking the first use of this analytic technique in the effort to determine the predictors of criminal thinking. Additionally, the use of sequential moderated multiple regression analysis illuminated the moderating effect that extraversion exerts on the relat ionship between criminal social identity and criminal thinking, a prior to unknown and never before suggested effect.