Legal Capacity and Criminal Responsibility in Mental Illness
Imputability and Capacity of the Schizophrenic
Liability
In schizophrenia with full clinical activity, there is no accountability. The individual is unable to understand the consequences of their actions and, therefore, to control them. They must be admitted to an appropriate institution for their condition or undergo outpatient treatment. In situations of schizophrenic defect, the individual’s accountability is proportional to the intensity and the symptoms resulting from this defect. The defect
Read MoreUnderstanding Transgender Identities and Terminology
Understanding Transgender Identities
Defining Transgender
Transgender (IPA: [trænsˈdʒɛndər]) is a broad term encompassing individuals, behaviors, and groups whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth. Gender identity is one’s internal sense of being male, female, both, neither, or somewhere else along the gender spectrum. Assigned gender, on the other hand, is typically based on physical characteristics at birth.
Transgender identity does not imply any specific sexual orientation.
Read MoreBehaviorism and Humanism: A Comparison of Psychological Perspectives
Behaviorism: Based on scientific methods to study human behavior, it proposes to analyze observable actions in particular situations to explain behavior, including the environment and experiences that determine it. Human behavior is the unconscious side; personality does not exist. John B. Watson defended the idea of a psychology that considered behavior valuable in itself as an object of study. He studied the adjustment of organisms to their environments, specifically the particular stimuli or
Read MoreMind-Brain Identity Theory and Connectionist Models in Cognitive Science
Logical Criticism of the Mind-Brain Identity Theory
If we speak of identity between mental events (EM) and physical events (EF), then both should be governed by Leibniz’s laws:
- Law of Indiscernibility of Identicals: If two things cannot be distinguished, they are identical. Ax Ay [(x = y) -> (Fx <-> Py)]
- Law of Identity of Indiscernibles: If two things are identical, then they are indistinguishable. Ax Ay [AP (Px <-> Py) -> (x = y)]
Under these laws, if EM = EF, then they should have
Read MoreExploring the Science of Psychology: Mind, Behavior, and Perception
What is Psychology?
Psychology, derived from the Greek words “psyche” (mind) and “logos” (study), is the science that explores the mind, behavior, and thinking processes of living organisms, primarily humans. It also examines the behavior of other organisms.
Behavior
Behavior encompasses how we interact with the world—our actions and reactions. It has two key aspects:
- Observable Behavior: Actions visible to others.
- Subjective Consciousness: Internal thoughts and feelings not directly observable.
A
Read MoreUnderstanding Child Psychology and Development
Frequently Asked Questions in Child Psychology
Factors Affecting Mental Functions
Several factors can influence an individual’s mental functions:
- Parental psychopathology
- Family dynamics (individual characteristics or temperamental factors)
- Environmental stress
Freud’s Processes
Processes like memory, reasoning, and language enable us to interact with reality, understand its mechanisms, and recognize causal relationships.
Object Relations Theory
Object relations theory posits that all behavior involves interaction
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