AO3

• There is little empirical evidence for the concept of superego, unconscious or defence mechanisms linked. Bowlby’s research also has limitations
• Freudian theories have gender bias as they suggest girls develop a weaker superego due to less pressure to identity with their mothers. This means their sense of morality is weaker and should be more prone to criminal behaviour, which isn’t supported by statistics or gender ratio of prison
• There is little evidence to suggest that single parent or lack of a same-sex parent create less law-abiding children. If children do commit crime, this may be due to genetics or socialisation rather than a weak superego. Lastly, criminals don’t want to be caught and would seek to avoid punishment, challenging the ‘over harsh’ superego.
• Bowlby’s research suggest that reducing early separation may reduce delinquency. It offers a holistic explanation when combined with Eysenck and Sutherland’s theory.
• Who found research support for the link between offending and the Superego?

  Goreta
• What did Gordita do?

  Conducted a Freudian-style analysis of 10 offenders referred for psychiatric treatment. In all those assessed, disturbances in Superego formation were diagnosed. Each offender experienced unconscious feelings of guilt and the need for self-punishment. This is a consequence of an over-harsh Superego, the need for punishment manifesting itself as a desire to commit acts of wrongdoing and offend.
• Counterpoint to research support

  The central principles of the inadequate Superego theory are not supported. If this theory were correct, we would expect harsh, punitive parents to raise children who constantly experience feelings of guilt and anxiety. Evidence suggests, however, the opposite is true. Parents who rely on harsher forms of discipline tend to raise children whoa re rebellious and rarely express feelings of guilt or self-criticism
• Who found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships in adolescence?

  Lewis et al.
• What did Lewis et al. do? (research against maternal deprivation theory)

  Analysed data drawn from interviews with 500 young people and found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending. Even if there is a link between children who have experienced separation from their mothers and offending in later life, this is not necessarily a causal relationship. There are countless other reasons for this apparent link.