I have worked on most parts of the 10 strategic points, only the parts that are marked in red need to be addressed, that is the Literature review which is number 2  and instruments which is number 9

The 2nd part of this assignment is to prepare a rough draft of the prospectus, you will use the material from the 10 strategic points and he notes to fill out as much as you can on the prospectus sheet. Mark all your work and changes you make with green highlight so I can easily go find them. If you cite anything kindly provide a reference. In the notes I have cited some work as well, don’t worry about those, I will attach the references when you return the work.

Note that this is not the final draft, not every part has to be filled out and it does not have to be perfect .However, it needs to provide the essential detail.

Ask me any questions before you start.

Needs to be completed by 3/18/2020 at 9.00pm Eastern Time (New York Time)

Research questions

It was not known how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

It was not known what role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit crime

The basis of Cognitive theory

Cognitive is defined as an ability to process information: Cognition has to do with one’s ability to learn information quickly, memorize, and understand information they receive. Therefore, cognitive theories of crime fall under the psychological theories of criminal behavior. It’s important to know that there are different theories that attempt to explain acts of criminal behavior.

Cognitive-behavioral theory combines the principles of social and developmental psychology and those of experimental-clinical psychology. The theory, applied to crime and delinquency, proposes that social behavior is learned. To understand why and how people commit crimes, psychologists and sociologists often study, analyze, and develop explanations of why these behaviors exist. Cognitive theory is one of many psychological theories of criminal behavior.  Cognitive theories of crime explain criminal behavior as a defect in moral thinking, thought processes, and mental development. Cognitive theories focus on how we perceive the world around us, how we think, and the factors that influence our mental development (family upbringing, parental modeling, personality, intelligence). These theories help to explain how we develop morally in our thought process. Cognitive theories also help us to understand how an individual’s personality and intelligence level are linked to delinquency. 

Theoretical framework: theory of cognitive development

Jean Piaget: Moral and intellectual development. People construct a mental model of the world from childhood. Thus, from birth onward an individual will continue to develop. It is a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment.

Bandura maintains that individuals are not born with an innate ability to act violently. He suggested that, in contrast, violence and aggression are learned through a process of behavior modeling (Bandura, 1977). In other words, children learn violence through the observation of others. Aggressive acts are modeled after three primary sources: (1) family interaction, (2) environmental experiences, and (3) the mass media.

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927–1987), who applied the concept of moral development to criminological theory. Kohlberg (1984) believed that individuals pass through stages of moral development. Most important to his theory is the notion that there are levels, stages, and social orientation. The three levels are Level I, preconventional; Level II, conventional; and Level III, postconventional. With respect to the different stages, Stages 1 and 2 fall under Level I. Stages 3 and 4 fall under Level II, and Stages 5 and 6 fall under Level III.

The next subdiscipline is the information-processing branch. This area is predicated on the notion that people use information to understand their environment. When an individual makes a decision, he or she engages in a sequence of cognitive thought processes. To illustrate, individuals experience an event and encode or store the relevant information so it can be retrieved and interpreted at a later date (Conklin, 2007). Second, these individuals search for the appropriate response, and then they determine the appropriate action. Last, they must act on their decision. There are some vital findings regarding this process. First, individuals who use information properly are more likely to avoid delinquent or criminal behavior (Shelden, 2006). Second, those who are conditioned to make reasoned judgments when faced with emotional events are more likely to avoid antisocial behavioral decisions (Siegal, 2008). Interestingly, an explanation for flawed reasoning is that the individual may be relying on a faulty cognitive process; specifically, he or she may be following a mental script that was learned in childhood (Jacoby, 2004).A second reason that may account for flawed reasoning is prolonged exposure to violence. A third possibility of faulty reasoning is oversensitivity or rejection by parents or peers. Contemplating the consequences of long-lasting rejection or dismissal is likely to produce damage to an individual’s self-esteem. Research has demonstrated that individuals who use violence as a coping mechanism are substantially more likely to exhibit other problems, such as alcohol and drug dependency (Piquero & Mazarolle, 2001).

The 10 Key Strategic Points for the Prospectus, Proposal, and Dissertation

Introduction

In the prospectus, proposal and dissertation there are ten key strategic points that need to be clear, simple, correct, and aligned to ensure the research is doable, valuable, and credible. The 10 key strategic points emerge from researching literature on a topic which is based on or aligned with the learner’s personal passion, future career purpose, and degree area. These points provide a guiding vision for the research.

The Ten Strategic Points

A document outlining the 10 key strategic points includes the following that define the research focus and approach:

1. Topic – Provides a board research topic area/title.

2. Purpose Statement – Provides one sentence statement of purpose including Problem Statement – Describes the phenomena to study (qualitative) or variables/groups (quantitative) to study, in one sentence.

3. the problem statement, sample, methodology, and design.

4. Research Questions – Provides research questions to collect data to address the problem statement.

5. Hypothesis/Variables or Phenomena – Provides hypotheses with variables for each research question (quantitative) or describes the phenomena to be better understood (qualitative).

6. Literature Review – Lists primary points for four sections in the Literature Review: (a) Background of the problem/gap; (b) Theoretical foundations (models and theories to be foundation for study); (c) Review of literature topics with key theme for each one; (d) Summary.

7. Methodology and Design – Describes the selected methodology and specific research design to address problem statement and research questions.

8. Sample and Location – Identifies sample, needed sample size, and location (study phenomena with small numbers and variables/groups with large numbers).

9. Data Collection – Describes primary instruments and sources of data to answer research questions.

10. Data Analysis – Describes the specific data analysis approaches to be used to address research questions.

Ten Strategic Points for a Qualitative Case Study:

1. Topic – Provides a board research topic area/title: A Case Study of the role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior.

OR

A case study of how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

2. Literature review

a. Background of the problem/gap:

i.

ii.

iii. .

b. Theoretical Foundations (models and theories to be foundation for study);

c. Review of literature topics with key theme for each one;

i.
ii.

d. Summary.

i.
ii.

iii.

3. Problem statement – Describes the phenomena to study (qualitative) or variables/groups (quantitative) to study, in one sentence: It was not known what role perception played in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior.

OR

It was not known how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

4. Sample and location – Identify sample, needed sample size, and location (study phenomena with small numbers and variables/groups with large numbers).

a. Location: New York State, United States of America.

b. Population: A city with over 100 behavior consultants.

c. Sample: The sample for this research was 30-35 social scientists, primarily criminologists and sociologists, studying social deviance or criminal behavior.

5. Research questions – Provides research questions to collect data to answer the problem statement:

1. R1: What role does perception play in an individual’s potential to commit a deviant behavior

1. R2: How does an individual perceive his/her behavior?

1. R3: What role if any does the ego function play on perception?

6. Phenomena: describes the phenomena to be better understood (qualitative).

Phenomenon: Understanding the role of perception in an individual’s potential to commit a crime. OR Understanding how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

7. Methodology and design – Describes the selected methodology and specific research design to address problem statement and research questions: The methodology is qualitative. The design is a case study

8. Purpose: The purpose of the qualitative case study is to determine what role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit a crime. OR To determine how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

9. Data collection – Describes primary instruments and sources of data to answer research questions:

Please list the potential data instruments and sources in this kind of study

10. Data analysis – Describes the specific data analysis approaches to be used to address research questions.

a. Data will be organized and prepared for analysis.

b. Descriptive statistics will summarize the data.

c. Coding will generate themes used to address the research questions.

Research questions

It was not known how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the world around them

It was not known what role perception plays in an individual’s potential to commit crime

The basis of Cognitive theory

Cognitive is defined as an ability to process information: Cognition has to do with one’s ability to learn information quickly, memorize, and understand information they receive. Therefore, cognitive theories of crime fall under the psychological theories of criminal behavior. It’s important to know that there are different theories that attempt to explain acts of criminal behavior.

Cognitive-behavioral theory combines the principles of social and developmental psychology and those of experimental-clinical psychology. The theory, applied to crime and delinquency, proposes that social behavior is learned. To understand why and how people commit crimes, psychologists and sociologists often study, analyze, and develop explanations of why these behaviors exist. Cognitive theory is one of many psychological theories of criminal behavior.  Cognitive theories of crime explain criminal behavior as a defect in moral thinking, thought processes, and mental development. Cognitive theories focus on how we perceive the world around us, how we think, and the factors that influence our mental development (family upbringing, parental modeling, personality, intelligence). These theories help to explain how we develop morally in our thought process. Cognitive theories also help us to understand how an individual’s personality and intelligence level are linked to delinquency. 

Theoretical framework : theory of cognitive development

Jean Piaget: Moral and intellectual development. People construct a mental model of the world from childhood. Thus, from birth onward an individual will continue to develop. It is a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment.

Bandura maintains that individuals are not born with an innate ability to act violently. He suggested that, in contrast, violence and aggression are learned through a process of behavior modeling (Bandura, 1977). In other words, children learn violence through the observation of others. Aggressive acts are modeled after three primary sources: (1) family interaction, (2) environmental experiences, and (3) the mass media.

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927–1987), who applied the concept of moral development to criminological theory. Kohlberg (1984) believed that individuals pass through stages of moral development. Most important to his theory is the notion that there are levels, stages, and social orientation. The three levels are Level I, preconventional; Level II, conventional; and Level III, postconventional. With respect to the different stages, Stages 1 and 2 fall under Level I. Stages 3 and 4 fall under Level II, and Stages 5 and 6 fall under Level III.

The next subdiscipline is the information-processing branch. This area is predicated on the notion that people use information to understand their environment. When an individual makes a decision, he or she engages in a sequence of cognitive thought processes. To illustrate, individuals experience an event and encode or store the relevant information so it can be retrieved and interpreted at a later date (Conklin, 2007). Second, these individuals search for the appropriate response, and then they determine the appropriate action. Last, they must act on their decision. There are some vital findings regarding this process. First, individuals who use information properly are more likely to avoid delinquent or criminal behavior (Shelden, 2006). Second, those who are conditioned to make reasoned judgments when faced with emotional events are more likely to avoid antisocial behavioral decisions (Siegal, 2008). Interestingly, an explanation for flawed reasoning is that the individual may be relying on a faulty cognitive process; specifically, he or she may be following a mental script that was learned in childhood (Jacoby, 2004).A second reason that may account for flawed reasoning is prolonged exposure to violence. A third possibility of faulty reasoning is oversensitivity or rejection by parents or peers. Contemplating the consequences of long-lasting rejection or dismissal is likely to produce damage to an individual’s self-esteem. Research has demonstrated that individuals who use violence as a coping mechanism are substantially more likely to exhibit other problems, such as alcohol and drug dependency (Piquero & Mazarolle, 2001).