Individualistic

• Groups assumed to act rationally


  • Consumers
  • Producers
  • Workers
  • Governments
• Rationality in classical economic theory is a flawed assumption as people usually don't act rationally
• Marginal utility

  The additional utility (satisfaction) gained from the consumption of an additional product
• ID


  Might be tempted to participate because it could be exciting/ rebellious
• Ego


  Weigh up the consequences of vandalism, such as: getting caught, disciplinary actions, impact on academic/personal life
• Superego


  Would discourage her from participating in vandalism, may cause a feeling of guilt/anxiety
• ID


  An easy solution to solve his financial problems and alleviate the stress
• Ego


  Potential consequences of legal repercussions, damage to his reputation, and impact on his family
• Superego


  Would strongly discourage John from engaging in embezzlement. It would remind him of societal norms against theft.
• ID


  Might be driven by the desire for social acceptance and the gratification of items
• Ego


  Consider the risk of getting caught and the impact on her reputation.
• Superego


  would strongly discourage her from shoplifting.
• Dominant ID


  Mind is uncontrollable, criminality is likely
• Dominant Ego


  Incapable of accepting change, rigid lifestyle
• Dominant Superego


  Very moralistic, expecting perfection, judgemental if this isn't achieved
• A healthy personality needs a balance between all three areas
• Early childhood experiences


  Shape our personality and future behaviour
• Research suggests most criminals come from unstable homes
• Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation Study (1944)


  1. Studied 44 juvenile delinquents and compared them with non-criminal disturbed juveniles

  2. 39% had experienced complete separation from the mother for more than 6 months in the first five years of their lives vs 5% of the control group

  3. If mother-child attachment is broken through separation, it can leave a child unable to form meaningful emotional relationships with others. Could lead to criminal behaviour
• Cognition


  Thinking and mental processes relating to attitudes, beliefs, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making etc.
• Criminal Personality Theory


  Faulty cognition/thinking makes an individual more likely to commit a crime
• Thinking Errors


  • Lying
  • Secretive
  • Need For Power/Control
  • Super-Optimism
  • Failure To Understand Others
  • Lack Of Trust
  • Blaming Others
  • Uniqueness
• Moral Development


  Our understanding of right and wrong develops from childhood to adulthood
• Kohlberg's Moral Development Theory


  Argues criminal behaviour is because individuals are stuck at a less mature level than everyone else
• CBT Therapy

  Thought patterns of offenders are different to other people. This therapy aims to change that
• inidvidualistic policy development: cbt:

  • the way someone thinks/ their thinking patterns.
  • criminal behaviour is the result of irrational behaviour and how someone decides the difference between right and wrong.
  • E.g. think first: problem solving skills, teach to see it from another pov.
  • ART: reducing agrressive and violent offenders. Teaches anger control techniques.
• individualistic policy development: behaviour modification:

  • token economy: good behaviour in prison is rewarded.
• individualistic policy development: psychoanalysis:

  • verbalising their thoughts.
  • access unconscious, repressed thoughts.
  • assumes that trauma is embedded.
• individualistic policy development: aversion therapy:

  • associating pain of the senses with bad behaviour so they will better their behaviour.
  • e.g. electric shock, bad smells.