Psychodynamic explanations to criminality

• what did Blackburn argue about the inadequate SE?

  if the SE is deficient or inadequate, then criminal behaviour is inevitable because the id is given “free reign” and is not properly controlled.
• what are the three types of SE proposed to explain criminality?

  weak, deviant, over-harsh
• the weak SE

  if the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage, then the child cannot have a fully-formed ego as there is no chance for identification. this makes criminal behaviour more likely.
• the deviant SE

  if the child’s internalised SE has immoral/deviant values, then this leads to offending behaviour.
• the over-harsh SE

  the individual is crippled by guilt and anxiety. this unconsciously drives the individual to perform criminal acts to satisfy the SE’s need for punishment
• maternal deprivation theory

  Bowlby argued that the ability to form meaningfull relationships in adulthood is dependent upon the child forming a good relationship with their mother figure. failure to establish a bon during the first few years of life has damaging and irreversible consequences for the child later in life.
• what does maternal deprivation lead to?

  affectionless psychopathy
• affectionless psychopathy

  AP is a consequence of MD, which is a lack of guilt and feelings for others. such individuals are likely to engage in acts of delinquency and cannot form close relationships to others, as they lack the necessary experience.
• what is AP supported by?

  Bowlby’s 44 Thieves study
• limitation of psychodynamic explanations - gender bias

  there is alpha bias at the heart of Freud’s theory. It is therefore not an appropriate means of explaining offending behaviour.
• limitation - unconscious thoughts

  psychodynamic explanations suffer from a lack of falsifiability, and therefore lack scientific rigour.