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STUDY OF PERSONALITY OF MURDERERS AND THE PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS RELATED TO MURDER

NCJ Number
64824
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 15-20
Author(s)
A SINGH
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND BETWEEN A STUDY GROUP OF 75 INDIAN MURDERERS AND A CONTROL GROUP OF 75 MINOR OFFENDERS ARE ANALYZED.
Abstract
AS THE RESULTS OF EARLIER STUDIES SUGGEST, THE PRESENT STUDY IS BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT MURDERERS HAVE HIGH SCORES ON THE PSYCHOTICISM, EXTRAVERSION, AND NEUROTICISM (PEN) TEST, ON THE NSQ (NEUROTICISM SCALE QUESTIONNAIRE) AND ON THE MAS (MANIFEST ANXIETY SCALE) AS COMPARED TO OTHER CRIMINALS. THE SAMPLE POPULATIONS (BOTH CONTROL AND STUDY) WERE DRAWN AT RANDOM OUT OF TWO PUNJAB JAILS. THE INMATES WERE INTERVIEWED PERSONALLY CONCERNING THEIR BACKGROUND AND CRIMINAL HISTORY AND ALSO TOOK THE PEN, NSQ, AND MAS TESTS. THE INTERVIEWS INDICATED THAT LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS EXISTED IN TERMS OF AGE AND RELIGION; HOWEVER, A MAJORITY OF THE MURDERERS CAME FROM HIGH CASTES AND LIVED IN RURAL AREAS. SURPRISINGLY, MOST OF THE MURDERERS HAD KILLED FAMILY MEMBERS (MOST OFTEN IN THE COURSE OF A VENDETTA); OTHER FREQUENT VICTIMS OF MURDERS WERE NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. A COMPARISON OF THE TEST SCORES INDICATED THAT THE MURDERERS ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SCORES FOR THE FACTORS PSYCHOTICISM AND NEUROTICISM WITH VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GROUPS IN THE EXTRAVERSION SCORES. OVERALL, THE RESEARCH CONFIRMED THE HYPOTHESIS ON WHICH THE STUDY IS BASED. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (SAJ)

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