5.9 Psychological Explanations Of Offending Behaviour: Psychodynamic

Question 1

What is affectionless psychopathy?

Answer 1

Behaviour disorder

no ability to experience shame or guilt lacking social conscience

Question 2

What is maternal deprivation?

Answer 2

The loss of emotional care that is normally provided by a primary caregiver

Question 3

What is the super-ego?

Answer 3

Embodies our conscience - our sense of right and wrong

Question 4

What is maternal deprivation theory as an explanation of offending?

Answer 4

• loss of emotional care from primary caregiver
• causes affectionless psychopathy
• which can lead to delinquent behaviour
  (Bowlby’s 44 thieves)

Question 5

What is the super-ego as an explanation of offending?

Answer 5

• super ego acts as moral compass
• weak or underdeveloped super-ego so little control over anti-social id impulses
• harsh or overdeveloped super-ego so desire to be caught allows for punishment to relieve guilt
• deviant super-ego so adopts deviant attitudes

Question 6

What causes an underdeveloped superego?

Answer 6

lack of identification with same-sex parent

Question 7

What causes an overdeveloped superego?

Answer 7

overidentification with same-sex parent

causes excessive feelings of guilt

Question 8

What causes a deviant superego?

Answer 8

identification with deviant parent

Question 9

What are positives of psychodynamic explanations to offending behaviour

Answer 9

• considers emotion

- real world application of reducing early separation (Bowlby changed procedure in hospitals)

Question 10

What are criticisms of psychodynamic explanations to offending behaviour?

Answer 10

• 44 thieves might not have causal findings (eg. discord in the home)
• gender bias in freud’s theory (alpha bias)
• complex factors for criminals eg. having a risk taking personality as well as family history