psychological explanation: psychodynamic explanation

• What is the assumption of this theory?

  That if the superego i is somehow deficient, or in adequate then criminal behaviour is inevitable because the id is given the free rein and not properly controlled- Blackburn
• What is the stud tire of personality

  Id, ego, superego
• When is the superego formed?

  At the end of the phallic stage when children resolve the Oedipus complex
• What principle does the superego work on?

  morality principle and exerts its influence by punishing the ego through guilt for wrong doing whilst rewarding it with pride for moral behaviour.
• What are the 3 types of inadequate superego?

  -weak super ego

  -deviant super ego

  -over-harsh super ego
• What is a weak superego?

  -If same sex parent is absent during the phalic stage, the child cannot internalise a fully formed superego as they have no one to identify with

  -and therefore more likely to engage in immoral or criminal behaviour
• What is the deviant superego?

  If the superego the child internalises has immoral or deviant values this will lead to offending behaviour

  -e.g growing up with a criminal father, they are not likely to associate guilt with wrong doing
• What is the over harsh superego?

  -individuals are crippled by guilt abs anxiety

  -this may unconsciously drive the individual to perform criminal acts in order to satisfy the superego overwhelming need of punishment

  (They like the attention of punishment)
• Who argues the maternal deprivation theory

  Bowlby
• What does bowlby argue?

  That the ability to form meaningful relationships in adulthood was dependent upon the child forming a warm, continuous rs with a mother figure
• What would happen if they could not establish a bond?

  Failure to do so in the first few years of life means the child will experience a number of damaging and irreversible consequences
• What personality type can develop if no proper bond was established?

  Affection-less psychopath

  -characterised by lack of guilt,empathy and feelings of others

  -such individuals are likely to engage in acts of delinquency
• What study supports this view?

  Bowlby 44 thieves

  -through interview 14 of his sample he studied 12 had experienced prolonged separation from mother during infancy

  -in the non criminal group only 2 had experienced similar early separation
• E-Limitation-Gender bias


  -gender basis

  -girls develop a weaker superego than boys as they don't experience castration anxiety girls are under less pressure to identify with same sex parent

  -assumes girls are more likely to be criminals
• E-Limitation-contradictory evidence


  -contradictory evidence

  -in a study where children were required to resist temptation, -Hoffman found hardly any evidence of gender differences and when there was , little girls tended to be more moral than little boys
• E-Limitation-Contradictory evidence


  -contradictory evidence

  -the idea that criminal behaviour reflects an unconscious desire for punishment seems implausible, as most offenders go to great lengths to conceal their crimes which suggests they want to avoid punishment at all costs
• E-Strength-Real life application


  -real life application

  -Bowlby research on attachment and maternal deprivation suggest that if you reduce early aeration you may reduce delinquency

  -pave way for new psychoanalyse treatment