Cognitive Forensic Sciences

Activity type

Discipline psicologiche

SSD

M-PSI/03

Year

2nd year

Semester

1st semester

CFU

3

Hours distribution

36 laboratory hours

Lecturers

FABIO LUCIDI

Activity type

Discipline psicologiche

SSD

M-PSI/01

Year

2nd year

Semester

1st semester

CFU

6

Hours distribution

48 classroom hours

Lecturers

ANTONIO ZUFFIANO'

Sport is increasingly being used as a tool to prevent crime, violence and substance use, especially among young people and is included in the criminal justice system as a means of preventing recidivism and promoting the social reintegration of criminals. Indeed, it has been shown that sport rests on important positive human values and can be used as a tool to promote, among others, respect for rules and others, teamwork, a sense of belonging and community, tolerance and empathy. The lab aims to provide the specific theoretical knowledge and professional skills necessary to learn the ways, means and techniques of using sports as a means of preventing crime, violence and substance abuse by stimulating engagement in routine and structured activities that foster the promotion of social and community ties. Examples of training programs focused on youth crime prevention through sports will be provided during the workshops. Finally, moving from a socio-cognitive perspective, the lab will focus on different types of moral or non-moral behavior in sports: Sportsmanship, Cheating, Gamesmanship and Doping. In summary, the lab aims to train the skills and knowledge to shape, collaborate and implement projects to use sports as a means of prevention and recovery in the legal-forensic environment.
The course aims at providing the students with theoretical and practical knowledge that would them help to understand how to use theoretical models for the study of the development of deviant-antisocial behavior, with a special focus on individual differences and personality, and, to acquire extensive scientific knowledge on personality functioning and development of deviant and criminal behaviors. Furthermore, the course will offer methodological competence in the application of main tools for the assessment of personality and deviant behaviors in the contexts of juridical -forensic .
The expected learning outcomes would be competent and critical reading of theoretical models related to personality psychology, of scientific literature related to the association between personality and deviant outcomes from infancy to adult age; competent profile analysis of single cases.
The traditional lectures would allow students to master the main principles behind scientific knowledge in the explanation of the relations between personality and deviant behaviors, the assessment process, the ethical and methodological principles of administration (also ethical) and interpretation of tests with children, adolescents and adults. The laboratory thus ensures acquiring the practical and technical ability related to the assessment procedures and the analysis of single cases. The students will examine, according to dimensional approach, the main instruments related to the assessment of personality and the different personality typologies in the context of juridical forensic. The laboratory thus ensures acquiring the practical and technical ability related to personality assessment in children, adolescents and adults. Attendance to the laboratory lessons and experiences must be considered mandatory.

The expected learning outcomes would be competent and critical reading of theoretical models related to personality psychology, of scientific literature related to the association between personality and deviant outcomes from infancy to adult age; competent profile analysis of single cases.
The traditional lectures would allow students to master the main principles behind scientific knowledge in the explanation of the relations between personality and deviant behaviors, the assessment process, the ethical and methodological principles of administration (also ethical) and interpretation of tests with children, adolescents and adults. The laboratory thus ensures acquiring the practical and technical ability related to the assessment procedures and the analysis of single cases. The students will examine, according to dimensional approach, the main instruments related to the assessment of personality and the different personality typologies in the context of juridical forensic. The laboratory thus ensures acquiring the practical and technical ability related to personality assessment in children, adolescents and adults.
Specific aims. Knowledge and understanding: passing the exam would imply being capable of understanding and using the most widely theoretical models and used tools for the assessment of personality and deviant behaviors, as well as the profile analysis useful for understanding individual at risk of antisocial and criminal behaviors . Applying knowledge and understanding: passing the exam would imply mastering the knowledge and use appropriate instruments for the research and the assessment of personality in juridical and forensic context. Making judgment: passing the exam would imply to be able to make informed judgments and evaluations of theoretical models, as well of assessment instruments, recognizing their strengths and limits. These abilities would be attained through discussions on single cases and reports. Discussions would be held in the traditional lessons as well as during the laboratory sessions. Communication skills: passing the exam would attest that students master the communication abilities and tools needed for an efficacious scientific communication and assessment process. Learning skills: passing the exam would attest the acquisition of skills conducive to further learning related to psychological assessment. During the traditional lessons such abilities would be transmitted by emphasizing the existing different perspectives on the study of personality, and showing during the laboratory session, the complex assessment and comprehension (reading) of single cases related to different developmental phases, such as late infancy, adolescence and young adulthood.

Good understanding of written and spoken English.

Module: Psychology of Deviance
Sport is increasingly being used as a tool to prevent crime, violence and substance use, especially among young people and is included in the criminal justice system as a means of preventing recidivism and promoting the social reintegration of criminals. Indeed, it has been shown that sport rests on important positive human values and can be used as a tool to promote, among others, respect for rules and others, teamwork, a sense of belonging and community, tolerance and empathy. The lab aims to provide the specific theoretical knowledge and professional skills necessary to learn the ways, means and techniques of using sports as a means of preventing crime, violence and substance abuse by stimulating engagement in routine and structured activities that foster the promotion of social and community ties. Examples of training programs focused on youth crime prevention through sports will be provided during the workshops. Finally, moving from a socio-cognitive perspective, the lab will focus on different types of moral or non-moral behavior in sports: Sportsmanship, Cheating, Gamesmanship and Doping. In summary, the lab aims to train the skills and knowledge to shape, collaborate and implement projects to use sports as a means of prevention and recovery in the legal-forensic environment.


Module: Legal Education and Sport
Psychology of deviance will provide students with an overview of the topic of deviance and aggression from classic theories to up-to-date findings on the causes and consequences of deviant behaviors. Throughout the course, students will learn about the main psychological theories of deviance, its development from childhood onward, personality and social factors conducive to deviant actions, deviant behaviors across different contexts (family, schools, etc.), the consequences of deviant actions at the societal level, and intervention programs aimed to prevent and reduce deviant behaviors.
The expected learning outcomes would be competent and critical reading of theoretical models related to personality psychology, of scientific literature related to the association between personality and deviant outcomes from infancy to adult age; competent profile analysis of single cases.
The traditional lectures would allow students to master the main principles behind scientific knowledge in the explanation of the relations between personality and deviant behaviors, the assessment process, the ethical and methodological principles of administration (also ethical) and interpretation of tests with children, adolescents and adults.
This course is articulated in three parts.
The first part aims to introduce the most relevant classical theories on aggression and the methodological principles in the study of deviant behaviors.
The second part focuses on the development and evaluation of deviant behaviors according to recent scientific findings. The dynamics associated with the development of deviant behavior in different contexts (school, family, and community) will be deepened.
The third part introduces interventions aiming to promote well-adjustment and prevent deviant behaviors across the lifespan. Furthermore, special attention will be devoted to the examination of the most effective evidence-based universal intervention programs.
The possibility to take part in optional group activities will be presented at the start of the course (i.e., group presentations).

Module: Psychology of Deviance
Materials provided during the lectures


Module: Legal Education and Sport
The following book and materials are mandatory for the exam:
[1] Krahé, B. (2021). The Social Psychology of Aggression (3rd Edition). Routledge
[2] Further mandatory materials (e.g., course slides and scientific articles) will be uploaded on the e-learning platform.

Module: Psychology of Deviance
N/D
Module: Legal Education and Sport
N/D

The course takes place in person, with independent readings of articles and group presentations.

Attendance is highly encouraged

The overall assessment of Psychology of Deviance and Legal Education consists of two parts:
Psychology of Deviance:
For those attending the course, the exam will consist of 20 multiple-choice questions (0-1) and 1 open-ended question (0-6). Students’ engagement in group activities (e.g., group presentations) will be assessed with a maximum of 6 points to be added to the mark obtained on the exam.
For those who do not attend the course, the exam will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions (0-1) and 1 open-ended question (0-6).
Legal Education and Sports: The evaluation will be based on the work discussed in class
A minimum of 18 points is needed to pass the exam. The maximum is 31 points (30 cum laude).

Deficits in executive functions have been found to predict:
A. Increased reactive aggression over time, but they were unrelated to proactive aggression
B. Increased proactive aggression over time, but they were unrelated to reactive aggression
C. Increased covert aggression over time, but they were unrelated to overt aggression
D. increased cognitive abilities that are unrelated to aggression

Module: Psychology of Deviance
N/D
Module: Legal Education and Sport

• Introduction to the course +
  class activity
  • Books: -


• Aggression: Definition and
  measurement
  • Books: Chapter 1 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Legal Education and Sports
  • Books: -


• Theory of aggression (I)
  • Books: Chapter 2 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Theory of aggression (II)
  • Books: Huesmann, L. R. (2018). An
    
    integrative theoretical understanding of aggression: a brief exposition. Current
    
    opinion in psychology, 19, 119-124.


• Violence in the stadiums: Psychosocial theories and data
  • Books: paper presentation


• The development of
  aggression (I)
  • Books: Chapter 3 (The social psychology of aggression)


• The development of
  aggression (II)
  • Books: Lansford, J. E. (2018).
    
    Development of aggression. Current opinion in psychology, 19,
    
    17-21.


• Violence in the stadiums: exercises
  and teaching workshops
  • Books: -


• Personality and aggression
  (I)
  • Books: Chapter 4 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Personality and aggression
  (II)
  • Books: Vize, C. E., Miller, J. D., & Lynam, D. R.
    
    (2018). FFM facets and their
    
    relations with different forms of antisocial behavior: An expanded
    
    meta-analysis. Journal of Criminal Justice, 57, 67-75.


• Bullying and homophobic
  bullying
  • Books: Papers presented in
    
    classroom


• Personality and aggression
  (III)
  • Books: Chapter 4 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Personality and aggression
  (IV)
  • Books: Favini, A., Gerbino, M., Eisenberg, N., Lunetti, C.,
    
    & Thartori, E. (2018). Personality profiles and
    
    adolescents' maladjustment: A longitudinal study. Personality and Individual
    
    Differences, 129, 119-125


• bullying and homophobic bullying exercises and teaching workshops
  • Books: -


• Morality and aggression (I)
  • Books: Malti, T., Colasante, T., & Jambon, M.
    
    (2018). Aggression and morality in childhood and adolescence. In T. Malti &
    
    K. H. Rubin (Eds.), Handbook of child and adolescent aggression (pp.
    
    212–229). The Guilford Press.


• Morality and aggression (II)
  • Books: Zuffianò, A., Colasante,
    
    T., Buchmann, M., & Malti, T. (2018). The codevelopment of
    
    sympathy and overt aggression from middle childhood to early adolescence. Developmental
    
    Psychology, 54(1), 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000417


• Prosocial and antisocial behavior in sports
  • Books: Papers presented in
    
    classroom


• Situational factors, media
  and aggression (I)
  • Books: Chapters 5 -6  (The social
    
    psychology of aggression)


• Situational factors, media
  and aggression (II)
  • Books: Bender, P. K., Plante, C., & Gentile, D.
    
    A. (2018). The effects of violent media content on aggression.
    
    Current opinion in psychology, 19, 104-108.


• Prosocial and antisocial behavior in sports exercises and teaching workshops
  • Books: -


• Aggression in different
  domains
  • Books: Chapter 7 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Aggression in the family (I)
  • Books: Chapter 8 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Gender Violence in Sport
  • Books: Papers presented in
    
    classroom


• Aggression in the family
  (II)
  • Books: Labella, M. H., & Masten, A. S. (2018). Family influences on the development of aggression
    
    and violence. Current opinion in psychology, 19, 11-16


• Aggression between social
  groups and terrorism
  • Books: Chapters 10-11 (The social psychology of aggression)


• Gender Violence in Sport exercises
  and teaching workshops


• Intervention against
  aggression (I)
  • Books: Chapter 12(The social psychology of aggression)


• Intervention against
  aggression (II)
  • Books: Mielke, M., &
    
    Farrington, D. P. (2020). School-based
    
    interventions to reduce suspension and arrest: A meta-analysis. Aggression
    
    and violent behavior, 101518.


• Doping in Sport
  • Books: Papers presented in
    
    classroom


• Intervention against
  aggression (III)
  • Books: Caprara, G. V., Kanacri, B. P. L., Zuffianò, A.,
    
    Gerbino, M., & Pastorelli, C. (2015). Why and how to promote adolescents’ prosocial behaviors: Direct, mediated
    
    and moderated effects of the CEPIDEA school-based program. Journal of youth and adolescence, 44(12), 2211-2229


• Open topic
  • Books: -


• Doping in Sport exercises
  and teaching workshops
  • Books: -


• Open topic
  • Books: -


• Recap
  • Books: -


• Conclusion
  • Books: -