Psychology Articles
SCARS Articles about Scam/Fraud/Cybercrime Psychology, Victimology, Criminology, and Sociology
Articles relation to the psychology of scams, the exploitation by criminals, and their function and impact in scam victims.
Featured Articles
The Big 5 Personality Traits and Scam Victims – 2025
The Big 5 Personality Traits and Scam Victims Principal Category: Psychology of Scams Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. Read More ...
Victimization Paradigm: Scam Victim Vulnerability – A White Paper – 2025
Victimization Paradigm: Scam Victim Vulnerability - A White Paper Principal Category: Victimology Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract: This white paper introduces a comprehensive paradigm for understanding scam victim vulnerability, proposing a Read More ...
Psychological Inoculation: A Study to Help Scam Victims and All Resist Misinformation – 2025
Psychological Inoculation: A Study to Help Scam Victims and All Resist Misinformation Principal Category: Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Based On: Maertens, R., Roozenbeek, J., Simons, J.S. et al. - Psychological booster shots targeting memory Read More ...
Phobias: Pistanthrophobia and Philophobia and their Impact on Scam Victims – 2025
Phobias: Pistanthrophobia and Philophobia - the Aftermath of Online Scams - When Trust Becomes the Greatest Casualty Principal Category: Phobias & Fears Authors: • Lic. Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society Read More ...
Avoidance Psychology: Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery – 2025
Scam Victim Passivity During Recovery Principal Category: Avoidance Psychology Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez, B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Read More ...
Anomia – A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims – 2025
Anomia - A Typically Temporary Neurological Disorder in Severely Traumatized Scam Victims Principal Category: Scam Victim Neurology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract This article explores the concept of trauma-related Anomia, Read More ...
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims – 2025
Psychological Displacement and Scam Victims Psychological Displacement and Scam Victim Recovery: Understanding the Hidden Struggles Principal Category: Psychological Defense Mechanisms Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist with Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Read More ...
Tonic Immobility – A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims – 2025
Tonic Immobility - A Response to Trauma or Stress and Crime Victims Understanding the Involuntary Freeze Response Principal Category: Trauma Response Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Read More ...
Psychology Articles
Expectancy Violation Theory and the Psychology of Scams – 2025
Expectancy Violation Theory and the Psychology of Scams Principal Category: Persuasion Manipulation and Control Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. • Tim McGuinness, Read More ...
Internal Family Systems – Parts Theory – Cognition Model – 2025/UPDATED 2026
Internal Family Systems - Cognition Model A Clear Guide to Parts, Self, and the Brain Principal Category: Psychology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract This article explains Read More ...
Fundamental Attribution Error Bias – Overestimate Character and Underestimate Context – Cognitive Bias – 2025
Fundamental Attribution Error Bias Overestimate Character and Underestimate Context Principal Category: Cognitive Biases & Psychological Heuristics Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract The fundamental Read More ...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Adult Scam Victims – 2025
Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Adult Scam Victims Principal Category: Disorders / Behavior Patterns Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Oppositional defiant disorder in adulthood involves persistent anger, frequent arguments, and Read More ...
Derealization in Scam Victims – Dissociative Response – 2025
Derealization in Scam Victims - Dissociative Response When Reality Breaks: Understanding Derealization in Scam Victims Principal Category: Psychological Trauma Author: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Read More ...
Confirmation Bias – Letting Your Desires Control What You See! – Cognitive Bias – 2025
Confirmation Bias Letting Your Desires Control What You See! Principal Category: Cognitive Biases & Psychological Heuristics Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Scam victims Read More ...
The Freeze Response – 2025
The Freeze Response: What Happens in the Mind and Body Principal Category: Psychological Trauma Responses Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Read More ...
Social Desirability Bias – Cognitive Bias – 2025
Social Desirability Bias Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Social desirability bias is a common psychological pattern where individuals alter their words, behaviors, or self-reports Read More ...
