Intuitive Cognition as a Causal Factor in Criminal Profiler Accuracy
Introduction
Criminal profiling is used by law enforcement as a tool to analyze all available information from a crime, to help predict characteristics of an offender. As criminal profiling has become increasingly popular in the law enforcement community, many opponents have questioned the accuracy and reliability of this practice (Snook, Cullen, Bennell, Taylor, & Gendreau, 2008; Chiflet, 2015). However, criminal profiling and aspects of this practice continue to proliferate within the law enforcement community. As Kocsis and Palermo assert, the anecdotal evidence of case examinations with correctly predicted outcomes and satisfaction of agencies using criminal profilers, …show more content…
823). Sladek also affirms this biological assertion, referencing Epstein (1994), who reported significant gender differences pertaining to females reasoning experientially compared to male reasoning (2010). Additionally, this difference in thinking styles is reinforced and developed by social learning acquired through female socialization norms (Bennett, Farrington, & Huesmann, 2005). Support for the factors of gender and expertise will be discussed in the context of combining two theories, a dual-processing style of cognition (Sladek, Bond, & Phillips, 2010) and an intuition driven style of cognition (Chassy & Gobet, 2011). Thus, based on previous research that has shown the factors of gender and psychological expertise contributing to increased profiler accuracy, I hypothesize females have increased criminal profiling accuracy, due to an underlying gender specific cognitive processing …show more content…
Also, critics argue many researchers focus solely on a Western type of social learning and do not consider variability in culture as a predictor of social learning (Akande, Adewuyi, Akande, & Adetoun, 2016). However, while these arguments are just, few can argue the assignment of gender role as an active cultural practice in any realm of behavior. The determination of fairness or equality is not looked at in results presented by researchers in this genre of science, and does not negate the findings. Again, findings from social learning results represent a generalized population and must be taken within context.
A Dichotomous Conclusion By combining evidence from a biological perspective and a social perspective, reasonable inference of a gender specific cognitive style as the answer to females having increased profiler accuracy rates in criminal profiling cases, is justified. Together, these biological and social factors create the capacity to observe behavior, store information from experiences, and apply an intuitive and analytic conclusion to criminal profiling cases.
Results from researchers in forensic psychology have shown gender and expertise, specifically in psychological knowledge, as predictors of increased profiler accuracy (Hodges & Jacquin, 2008; Kocsis, Irwin, Hayes, & Nunn,
Introduction
Criminal profiling is used by law enforcement as a tool to analyze all available information from a crime, to help predict characteristics of an offender. As criminal profiling has become increasingly popular in the law enforcement community, many opponents have questioned the accuracy and reliability of this practice (Snook, Cullen, Bennell, Taylor, & Gendreau, 2008; Chiflet, 2015). However, criminal profiling and aspects of this practice continue to proliferate within the law enforcement community. As Kocsis and Palermo assert, the anecdotal evidence of case examinations with correctly predicted outcomes and satisfaction of agencies using criminal profilers, …show more content…
823). Sladek also affirms this biological assertion, referencing Epstein (1994), who reported significant gender differences pertaining to females reasoning experientially compared to male reasoning (2010). Additionally, this difference in thinking styles is reinforced and developed by social learning acquired through female socialization norms (Bennett, Farrington, & Huesmann, 2005). Support for the factors of gender and expertise will be discussed in the context of combining two theories, a dual-processing style of cognition (Sladek, Bond, & Phillips, 2010) and an intuition driven style of cognition (Chassy & Gobet, 2011). Thus, based on previous research that has shown the factors of gender and psychological expertise contributing to increased profiler accuracy, I hypothesize females have increased criminal profiling accuracy, due to an underlying gender specific cognitive processing …show more content…
Also, critics argue many researchers focus solely on a Western type of social learning and do not consider variability in culture as a predictor of social learning (Akande, Adewuyi, Akande, & Adetoun, 2016). However, while these arguments are just, few can argue the assignment of gender role as an active cultural practice in any realm of behavior. The determination of fairness or equality is not looked at in results presented by researchers in this genre of science, and does not negate the findings. Again, findings from social learning results represent a generalized population and must be taken within context.
A Dichotomous Conclusion By combining evidence from a biological perspective and a social perspective, reasonable inference of a gender specific cognitive style as the answer to females having increased profiler accuracy rates in criminal profiling cases, is justified. Together, these biological and social factors create the capacity to observe behavior, store information from experiences, and apply an intuitive and analytic conclusion to criminal profiling cases.
Results from researchers in forensic psychology have shown gender and expertise, specifically in psychological knowledge, as predictors of increased profiler accuracy (Hodges & Jacquin, 2008; Kocsis, Irwin, Hayes, & Nunn,