A01

• inadequate superego

  • based on freuds theories
  • the superego punishes the ego with feelings of guilt for wrong-doing, and rewards it with feelings of pride and satisfaction for moral behaviours
  • in criminals the superego is weak or deficient
• 3 types of inadequate superego

  • weak superego- caused by an absent same sex-parent in the phallic stage so the child cannot identify and internalise a superego
  • deviant superego- caused by internalisation of an immoral superego from deviant parents
  • over harsh superego- causing the person to become anxious and guilty by nature, causing them to unconsciously seek punishment and do so by commiting criminal acts
• maternal deprivation theory

  • bowlby proposed that the relationship we have with our mothers acts as the prototype for all future relationships
  • if this is disrupted it would result in a condition- 'affectionless psychopathy' where it is difficult to show empathy of feelings for others
• bowlby research

  • in his 44 thieves study, he found that 14 of them showed affectionless psychopathy, 12 of which had prolongued seperation from mothers