Criminology - Individualistic Theories

• learning theories - Bandura's social learning theory.

  Learning theories propose that criminal behaviour is learnt, criminality is learnt via social learning and operant conditioning
• Psychodynamic theory - Freud's psychodynamic theory

  Psychodynamic theory proposes that criminality occurs due to a dominant id, this occurs due to childhood traumas
• Psychological theory -Eysenck's Personality Theory

  Psychological theories propose that criminal behaviour occurs through combination of biological processes and environmental experiences; nature and nurture
• Learning theory - Bandura's social learning theory.

  • Social learning theory suggests that a persons criminal behaviour is learnt via observation and imitation. (copy crimes of those we observe).
  • referred to them as models, suggesting that we are more likely to imitate crimes committed by people who are similar, powerful or nurturing. For example, Parents.
• Bandura's Social Learning theory.

  • The social learning theory also suggests that we learn crim behaviour directly or vicariously through operant conditioning, this was initially developed by skinner (1983). It explains how criminality can be strengthened or weakened via reinforcements and punishments.
  • Done by direct and vicarious learning.
  • Direct - own criminal behviour is rewarded or punishend
  • vicarious/indirect - models behaviour.
  • If crim behaviour is punished, more likely to stop and vice versa.
• Bandura's social learning theory 1973.

  • Bandura, Ross and Ross 1961, carried out a study to investigate social learning using 72 preschool children.
  • Agressive model, non agressive or no model. (bobo doll).
  • Found that ones who had agressive model were more agressive to the bobo doll on their own than the others.
  • concluding agression, criminality can be learned via bservation and imitation.
• Evaluation of learning theory.

  • NEG Overlooks nature/biological influences - Bandura: parents role model however could be due to genetics
  • NEG Deterministic. Criminality is not due to free-will/concious. Treated rather than punished. contrary to the uk's penal system of punishment.
  • STR Quantitative data. Findings are objective, cannot be biased by researcher. Bandura, ross and ross recorded number of physical and verbal acts of agression, improving validity.
  • STR Current Research. Hashimi et al 2021. Found that adolescents more likely to join crim gang if older sibling. Supports.
• Evaluation of Psychodynamic theory.

  • STR Nature and nurture. Freud focused on id (nurture) trauma (nature) Provides a more hollistic explanation of criminality.
  • NEG Deterministic. Overlooks free will, criminals conciously decide whether to commit a crime. Treat not punish, view which is contrary to the UKs penal system of punishment.
  • NEG Qualitative data. Freud used case study evidence. Findings subjective to researcher bias.
  • Current research. Relevant explanation of criminality. Rush 2021. POsitive correlation betwee adverse childhood experiences and adult crim.
• Psychological theory evaluation - Eysenck Personality Theory.

  • STR Nature + NUrture. personality is 67% biological and 33% environmentally driven
  • Deterministic.
  • Quantative data. findings from test may be biased, not answered honestly.
  • Current Research. Hartsell 2021. Positive correlation between levels of psychoticism and levels of violent crim behaviour.
• Psychodynamic theory - Freud 1910.

  Stated that all humans are inherently anti-social with selfish drives and criminal tendencies which are stored within their unconscious mind.

  Psyche is made up of 3 sections:

  • Id - the pleasure principle
  • Ego - Reality principle
  • Superego - Morality principle. Childhood traumas are repressed in unconscious mind, causing an underdeveloped superego and dominant id. Maternal Deprivation, Child abuse cause underdevloped super ego, making id dominant.
• Psychodynamic theory - freud 1910.

  Id demands gratification at all costs, behaviour that is impulsive, agressive and criminal.

  BOWLBY (1944) - investigated 88 children over a 3 year period. 44 theives and 44 controls.

  14/44 theieves were deemed affectionless psychopaths, 0 controls were. 12/14 were maternally deprived. Supports freud.
• Psychological theory - Eysenck's personality theory 1963.

  • Certain personalties more likely to commit crimes as they crave excitement and slow to learn consequences to crime.
  • questionnairre on 700 soldiers treated for neurotic disorders, measuring extroversion - introversion, neuroticism - stability, psychoticism - sociability. ENP - criminal, ISS - non.
  • Variance in each trait is 67% biological, 33% environmental.
• Psychological theory - Eysenck's personality theory 1963.

  Those who score high in ENP - extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. more likely to become criminals.

  Extroverts - thrill seekers, take risks which could be criminally driven

  Neurotics - Anxious, easily persuaded into crime than others.

  Psychotics - egocentric, aggressive and unsympathetic towards victims of crime.

  high scores of E + N less likely to be responsive to conditioning. punishments wont be effective.