Psychological pathways of violent and non-violent criminals: an exploration combining network analysis and Bayesian modeling
Abstract Criminal behavior poses a significant threat to social security and public health, with notable psychological differences between violent and non-violent offenders. However, current research lacks a systematic investigation into multidimensional psychological variables and their interaction...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05310-z |
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| Summary: | Abstract Criminal behavior poses a significant threat to social security and public health, with notable psychological differences between violent and non-violent offenders. However, current research lacks a systematic investigation into multidimensional psychological variables and their interactions. This study explored differences in key psychological variables and their interactions between violent and non-violent offenders using network analysis and Bayesian network modeling. Psychological assessments were conducted on 749 male incarcerated individuals (335 violent, 414 non-violent offenders), covering impulsivity, personality traits, mindfulness, reinforcement sensitivity, childhood trauma, moral disengagement, criminal cognition, and risk attitudes. Results indicated mindfulness significantly influenced neuroticism and openness in non-violent offenders but not in violent offenders. Reinforcement sensitivity had a stronger impact on neuroticism among violent offenders. Criminal cognition significantly affected risk-taking via moral disengagement, with different pathways between groups. In non-violent offenders, criminal cognition was negatively moderated by agreeableness and positively related to reinforcement sensitivity; these effects were absent in violent offenders. This study highlights distinct psychological pathways between offender types, suggesting mindfulness-based interventions for non-violent offenders and emotional regulation training for violent offenders, providing practical implications for correctional interventions. |
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| ISSN: | 2662-9992 |