Citation

Fontaine RG. Psychol. Public Policy Law 2009; 15(2): 101.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, University of Arizona College of Law and the University of Miami School of Law, Publisher American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0016075

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Reports an error in "Reactive cognition, reactive emotion: Toward a more psychologically-informed understanding of reactive homicide" by Reid Griffith Fontaine (Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 2008[Nov], Vol 14[4], 243-261). Due to a production error, this article was published with incorrect footnote numbering. Specifically, the intended footnotes 2 through 9 were moved to the end, and footnote 10 became footnote 2 and so forth. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2008-18509-001.) Recent scholarship has drawn attention to the alternative contributions of dysfunctional reactive cognition (e.g., provocation interpretational bias) and emotion (e.g., provoked fury) in heat-of-passion killings. Two main theses have been advanced. First, there exists a meaningful parallel between the instrumental-reactive aggression dichotomy in psychology and murder-manslaughter distinction in law. Second, analysis of this parallel suggests that the heat-of-passion (or provocation) defense disproportionately favors emotional over cognitive dysfunction in mitigating murder to manslaughter. These theses, however, have yet to be fully developed and raise additional, critical questions that have not yet been addressed: Other than interpretational style, how may social-cognitive science inform our understanding of the role of cognitive bias in reactive homicide? How is serious interpretational bias related to alternative forms of psychiatric disorder as recognized in law? This article addresses these and related questions regarding the differential and interactive contributions of dysfunctional cognition and emotion in the execution of reactive homicide. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved). (from the journal abstract)