Anti-Social Behaviour

Recommended Prerequisites

Registered in Psychology.

Teaching Methods

The classes will be theoretical / practical. Despite the expositive nature of the method adopted, there will also be, whenever justified, the analysis of practical cases and other data taken from classical studies, recent research or from the media. For the presentation of the topics we will use PowerPoint and sometimes scientific videos. Furthermore, the issues presented and discussed in each class will always be supported by bibliographic, critically selected for each class.

Learning Outcomes

This teaching unit aims to analyse the contribution of several disciplines, including Psychology, to the study of anti-social behaviour and crime.

At the end, students will have acquired a good knowledge of:

• various factors that affect these behaviours across life;
• efforts made during last decades to systematize this knowledge as general or specific theories of antisocial behaviour or crime;
• methods and techniques used to assess those behaviours and test those theories;
• successful intervention policies applied in this field;
• the necessary requirements for a critical assessment of the scientific production of antisocial behaviour and crime.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Definitions and concepts

2. The growing interest for the study of juvenile delinquency and the origins of the youth justice system

3. Multidisciplinary approaches to the study of antisocial behaviour and crime

4. Methods and instruments for the scientific study of antisocial behavior

5. Heterogeneity and classification of antisocial behaviour and criminal acts

6. Psychopathy

7. Risk factors (and protection factors) of antisocial behavior

8. Theories of Anti-Social Behaviour with particular emphasis on models of psychology.

9. Policies and intervention programs in antisocial behaviour.

10. Special issues (e.g. neuropsychology and the study of antisocial behaviour and aggression; review of some longitudinal studies more influential in this field).

Head Lecturer(s)

António Castro Fonseca

Assessment Methods

Assessment
The evaluation includes two partial exams: the first covers the topics lectured during the first half of the semester, and the second covers the second half. Each one represents 50% of the final mark. The exam includes multiple choice questions and small essays (this type of questions weights 3 times more than each multiple choice question).: 100.0%

Bibliography

Andrews,D.A.&Bonta,J.(2010).The psychology of criminal conduct. (5ª ed).NJ: Matthews-Bender&Company.

Cullen,F.T. & R.Agnew(2006),Criminological theory. Los Angeles:Roxbury Publishing.

Flannery,D.,Vazonyi, A.&Waldman, I.(2007).The Cambridge handbook of violent behavior and aggression.Cambridge:Cambridge Univ Press.

Fonseca,A.C.(2002) (Ed.).Comportamento Anti-social e Família.Coimbra:Almedina.

Fonseca, A. C. (2004) (Ed.).Comportamento anti-social e crime. Coimbra: Almedina.

Helfgott, J. (2008).Criminal behavior:Theories, typologies, and criminal justice.Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Krohn, M. D., Lizotte, A. J. & Hall, G.P. (2009).Handbook on Crime and Deviance.London: Springer

Loeber,R. & Farrington,D. P. (2001).Child delinquents: Development, Intervention and service needs.Thousand Oaks:Sage.

Rutter,M. Giller, H. & Hagell, A. (1998).Antisocial behaviour by young people. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Press.

Stoff,D. M., Breiling J.&Maser, J. D.(1997).Handbook of antisocial behavior.London: Wiley