2.2 Individualistic Theories of criminality Flashcards
What are Psychodynamic theories?
Empathises the individual’s personal characteristics are related to criminality.
What is Psychoanalysis?
First and most important psychodynamic theory founded by Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939). He believed that our early childhood experiences determine our personality and future behaviour.
He also suggested that the human personality contains three elements: the ego, id and superego.
What is the id?
- Located in the unconscious, instinctive, ‘animal’ part of the mind.
- Completely selfish, immediate gratification of needs without reference to reality or moral considerations.
- Related to the pleasure principle but may lead to aggression and violence.
What is the superego?
- Contains our conscience or moral rules, which we learn through interactions with parents during early socialisation. Leads to us knowing right from wrong.
- Based on the morality principle and it is responsible for our feelings of guilt and shame.
- Develops at around the age of 5.
What is the ego?
- Works on the reality principle and is the mediator between the other two parts of the personality.
- Its role is to reduce conflict between the demands of the id and superego. Does this through defence mechanisms such as displacement, transfer feelings from the source to someone else.
- Develops around the age of 2.
What happens when a child has an abnormal relationship with their parents during early socialisation?
- Weak superego
- Over-harsh superego
- Deviant superego
What is a weak superego?
Individual feels less guilt about anti-social actions and less inhibition about acting out the id’s urges.
What is an over-harsh superego?
Individual has deep-seated guilt feelings. They crave punishment as a release. May engage in compulsive repeat offending to receive punishment.
What is a deviant superego?
Individual is successfully socialised but into deviant moral code. Have a good relationship with his criminal father and so internalises their father’s values. Wouldn’t inflict guilt feelings on himself for contemplating criminal acts.
What is Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory?
Argued there is a link between maternal deprivation and deviant behaviour. Even if the child is separated from their mother for a short period, it may lead to the child unable to form meaningful emotional relationships. Described as ‘affectionless psychopathy’ which can lead to criminality.
Who did Bowlby use for his theory and what did he find?
He used 44 Juveniles who had been referred to a child guidance clinic. He found that 39% of the juveniles suffered with maternal deprivation before the age of 5.
What did he conclude?
There is a link between early separation and later social and emotional maladjustment.
Maternal deprivation can lead to ‘affectionless’ psychopaths.
What is Eysenck’s personality theory?
Hans Eysenck argued that criminality is a result of a particular personality type. He suggested that personalities are made up from two dimensions:
- Extraversion vs Introversion
- Neuroticism vs emotional stability.
What is Extraverted, Introverted, Neurotic and Emotionally stable mean?
- Excitement-seeking, outgoing, sociable, impulsive, carefree, optimistic, aggressive, short-tempered and unreliable.
- Inward-looking, reserved, thoughtful, serious, quiet, self-controlled, pessimistic and reliable.
- Anxious, moody, depressed and prone to over-reacting.
- Calm, even-tempered, controlled and unworried.
What did Eysenck find with his personality questionnaire?
- Most people have personalities somewhere around the middle of both scales. Criminals scored high on extraversion and neuroticism.
How did he explain his findings?
Through conditioning and genetic inheritance.
Conditioning - learn to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
Genetic inheritance - we learn through conditioning but some individuals inherit a nervous system that causes them to develop a criminal personality.
What are Learning theories?
Focus on the role of rewards, punishments and role models.
What is Operant learning theory?
The work of B.F Skinner. The idea that if a behaviour is rewarded, it is likely to be repeated. Also, if a behaviour is punished or has an undesirable outcome, it is not likely to be repeated.
What is Behaviourism?
Someone’s behaviour lies in the reinforcements and punishments that shape it.
What are positive and negative reinforcements?
- Increasing a desirable stimulus to increase a behaviour.
- Taking away an undesirable stimulus to increase a behaviour.
Examples of positive and negative reinforcements
- Giving treats to children, extra playtime, fun activities etc.
- Having an antacid before a spicy meal, take away homework if class has worked hard etc.
What are positive and negative punishment?
- Adding a consequence after an undesired behaviour to decrease future responses.
- Taking away a certain reinforcing item after a undesirable behaviour to decrease future responses.
Examples of positive and negative punishment
- Spanking a child after a tantrum, yelling at a child, making them do an unpleasant task etc.
- Losing access to a toy, being grounded, losing rewards etc.
What is Social learning theory?
The work of Albert Bandura. The idea that we learn behaviour including aggressive behaviour.
