Publisher's Synopsis
INTRODUCTION
Criminal behavior has been associated with a number of factors related to
one's environment and circumstances. It is also related to the decision making
process which is based on person's cognitive processing capabilities. Socialcognition
is an approach which tries to understand these cognitive capabilities along
with social contexts and situations. The situation, in which a person finds himself,
how he perceives and understands his social environment, will all be processed by
his cognitive processes. His ability to analyze all this information is dependent on
his socio-cognitive skills. People arrive at conclusions based on this information.
Hence, this enables us to understand that perhaps more than the social contexts,
these socio-cognitive skills are responsible for the way we perceive the world. It can
also be stated that deficits in these socio-cognitive skills can therefore lead to
criminal behavior.
Review states that the kind of thinking styles a person possesses will
influence his behavior. Anti-social attitudes and higher levels of criminal thinking
styles will predict anti-social behavior in an individual. Moral development theorists
suggest that moral reasoning deficits can also lead to criminal behavior. Delays in
moral behavior development can predict antisocial behavior in an individual.
Psychologists also believe that empathy underlies pro-social behavior and its
absence can result in aggressive behaviors. Hence, empathy is considered as a
central component of social functioning for maintaining social relationships and for
achieving the psychological wellbeing of a person. Locus of control also has a
significant role in a person's life as it helps in making choices and decisions.
1.1 CRIME AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
Crime and Criminal Behavior are not simple phenomenon to understand and
deal with. In legal terms, crime can be defined as an intentional act which violates
law of a particular society. According to Tappan (1947), crime can be understood
"as an intentional act in violation of the criminal law committed without defence or
excuse and penalized by the state as a felony or misdemeanour". Tappan (1960) has
defined crime as "an intentional act or omission in violation of criminal law
committed without defence or justificatio,
