Thesis Title: Impulsivity and Risk Perception in Convicts
Student Name: Akraam Ullah
Supervisor: Mujeeba Ashraf, PhD
Degree: MSc
Year: 2016-2018
Department: Institute of Applied Psychology
University: Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245
Abstract
The present study investigated the relationship between impulsivity and risk perception in convicts. It was hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between impulsivity and risk perception and there would be a difference between male and female convicts on the scores of impulsivity and risk perception. Short (UPPS) Impulse Behavior Scale (Lynam, 2013) was used to measure impulsivity and Adolescent Risk Taking Questionnaire (Moore & Gullone, 1996) was a two-part questionnaire that measured risk perception and risk taking. Permission was taken from the authors of both scales for translation into Urdu. Purposive sample of 312 was collected including 214 male and 98 female convicts with age range 18-65 years from District Jail Lahore and Central Jail Kot Lakhpat. The results of Spearman Correlation showed that there is a significant negative correlation between impulsivity and risk perception. Mann Whitney U analysis showed significant difference in the risk perception and non-significant difference in impulsivity among male and female convict research participants. Female convicts had low risk perception than male convicts. In contrast to previous literature current study found that female convicts had low risk perception than male convicts. Good education, awareness about risk taking activities and discourage young individuals to involve in risk taking activities improve risk perception.
Keywords: Impulsivity, risk perception, convicts, gender.
