PE - Psychodynamic explanations

• What is the psychodynamic explanation?

  According to Freud’s theory, children develop a superego at the end of the phallic stage around the age of 5. This is where they internalise their same-sex parents morals
• What is Blackburn's theory of the different types of superego?

  He said that there are 3 different types of superego that causes crime. They are:

  • Weak superego
  • Deviant superego
  • Strong/over-harsh superego
• What causes a weak superego?

  Absence of the same-sex parent
• What causes a deviant superego?

  If the same-sex parent is a criminial
• What causes a strong/over-harsh superego?

  Having a strict upbringing
• How does the weak superego cause crime?

  Children don't have morals to internalise, they're not sure what's right and wrong so they don't feel guilty
• How does the deviant superego cause crime?

  Their morals that they've seen their parent commit a crime, the child sees that behaviour as acceptable so they don't feel guilty for doing a crime
• How does the strong/over-harsh superego cause crime?

  They're so filled with guilt as they are always conscious of their actions because of strict parents so they commit crimes to punish themselves
• What was Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory for the psychodynamic explanation?

  He said that maternal deprivation can lead to affectionless psychopathy.

  • Affectionless psychopathy is characterised by a lack of guilt, empathy and feeling for others.
  • People with affectionless psychopathy are more liely to engage in delinquent activities.
• What is a limitation of the psychodynamic explanation?

  Alpha bias

  • Exaggerating differences between males and females. Explanation says that males identify much more with their same-sex parent compared to females, suggesting that females will develop weak superego and more likely to commit crimes as they have weaker morals.
• What is a limitation of the psychodynamic explanation?

  Deterministic

  • Says that if you don't have a same-sex parent then you will commit crime when that's not the case.
• What is a limitation of the psychodynamic explanation?

  The mind is not measurable

  • Can't test the mind so its based on inferences
  • No scientific evidence
  • Subjective
  • Lacks validity