Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour
UndergraduateGRF-CCJ2002025
Previously GRF-CCJ20
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Delve into scientific theories that explain why people become criminals. You’ll explore links between criminal behaviour and personality, upbringing, and more. Use this knowledge in crime prevention and offender rehabilitation.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 25 May 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Psychological Explanations of Criminal Behaviour
About this subject
After successfully completing this subject you should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between individual-level and society-level explanations of criminal behaviour.
- Understand the major debates about the nature of criminal behaviour, for example, the nature/nurture debate, the free-will/ determinism debate, and the person/situation debate.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the major individual-level theoretical explanations of criminal behaviour, and be able to apply these theories to individual cases.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the practical and policy implications of the theories of criminal behaviour.
- Understand how scientific theories can be tested using psychological experiments.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical concerns with individual-level explanations of criminal behaviour.
- Introduction
- Evolutionary Theories
- Crime and Genetics
- Biobehavioural Theories
- Trait Theories
- Behavioural and Social Learning Theories
- Developmental Theories of Criminal Behaviour
- First Nations SEWB
- Cognition and Criminal Behaviour
- Environmental Theories
- Implications for the Criminal Justice System
- Implications for Prevention and Rehabilitation
Previously named "Psychology of Crime", this subject is designed to complement Crime, Society and Justice. The subject focuses on individual-level explanations of criminal behaviour. The contributions of evolutionary, genetic, bio-behavioural and trait theories, social learning, developmental and social psychological theories are examined. Implications of these theories for the criminal justice system and crime prevention are examined.
This subject addresses the question "What is it about individuals and their experiences that produce criminal behaviour?". Psychologists are concerned with how an individual’s biological make-up, personality, upbringing, current circumstances and so forth produce criminal behaviour. The unit examines criminal behaviour in terms of nine theoretical perspectives: evolutionary theories, genetic theories, biobehavioural theories, psychodynamic theories, trait theories, behavioural theories, social learning theories, development theories, and environmental theories. The subject also examines the implications of these theories for three areas criminology: the functioning of the criminal justice system, crime prevention, and the rehabilitation of offenders.
- Online Quiz 1 (10%)
- Case Study (40%)
- Final Exam (40%)
- Online Quiz 2 (10%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
GRF-CCJ20 (Not currently available)
Others
This is not an introductory subject, it is a second year subject. You must have a basic understanding of the first year criminology subjects. Students who have completed more than 2 OUA units (GPA 4.0+) and are planning on completing the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice are strongly encouraged to enrol in the degree. Part of this process will involve registering your study plan with Griffith University, which will help to ensure that you are studying the required units.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
UndergraduateGRF-CCJ-DEG
UndergraduateGRF-ART-DEG
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