AC2.2 Individualistic Theories Flashcards
What are the 3 ways that behaviour can be learnt?
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning
- Social learning theory
What does Freud say are the 3 parts of the personality?
- Id
- Ego
- Superego
In normal perso, all balance
What is the Id?
Basic primitive part of our make-up
Instinctive part of personality
‘Principle of pleasure’
Wants to be satisfied + doesn’t tolerate delay
What is the Ego?
Aware of both demands of Id + outside world
It makes decisions on this
‘Reality principle’
Develops through experience of dealing with world
Capability to think logically
What is the Superego?
Develops later
Formed from experiences with authority figures and restrictions they give us
‘Morality principle’
Gives us guilt
What is classical conditioning?
Neutral stimulus = associated with particular response
What is operant conditioning?
Behaviour = learnt through consequences of a particular behaviour
Explain John Joseph Joubert’s criminal behaviour using classical conditioning
Serial killer, young boys He remembered as teenager masturbating to fantasies of strangling boys in underwear Age 13, stabbed a young girl with pencil Felt sexually stimulated when she cried Executed in 1996
NS = Murder fantasies/ others pain US = Masturbating UR = Sexual pleasure Murder = sexual pleasure
Define positive reinforcement
Receiving reward when certain behaviour = performed
Leads to increase in desired behaviour
Define negative reinforcement
Removal of something unpleasant (fear, pain)
Leads to increase in behaviour
What does punishment do to a behaviour?
Decreases it
= unpleasant consequence of behaviour
What does the SLT suggest about criminal behaviour?
Learnt through observing + imitating role model
How is behaviour ‘learnt’ through the SLT?
Individual pays attention to behaviour + retains a memory of it (role model)
If physically capable + motivated, replicate behaviour
Motivation may come from role model being rewarded for behaviour/ reinforced for behaviour (vicarious reinforcement)
Give a real life examples of when children have committed criminal acts through SLT?
James Bulgar case in 1993 - 2 boys (age 10) had watched Childs play 3 + Chuckie
2 boys tortured + murdered James by imitating scenes they’d watched
Give 2 examples of copycat killers
- Andrew Conley ID with Dexter, killed younger brother
2. Eddie Seda, killed Vs in similar way to Zodiac killer (20 years after)
How does Bandura’s Bobo doll support the SLT?
It demonstrates how children learn violent behaviour by observing + imitating role models
What are the 2 strengths of the SLT?
- Has supporting evidence (Bandura)
2. Led to practical applications (x2)
What are the 2 practical application of the SLT?
- Suggests that by introducing +ve role models + using reinforcement, help rehabilitate offenders
- Contribute to watershed + rating certificates on films/ video games
What is a weakness of the SLT?
Can’t explain opportunistic crimes; doesn’t involve seeing someone produce behaviour first
Only accounts for some crimes
Is the SLT a full explanation of criminal behaviour?
Why?
No
Watch/ witness violent behaviour doesn’t mean they = going to imitate it
Other factors involved: upbringing, personal experience etc.
These can affect if behaviour = imitated/ not
Could be that some people = more vulnerable to effects of witnessing criminal/ violent acts
What are the 3 dimensions that Eysenck measures personality across?
- Introversion/ Extraversion (E)
- Neuroticism (N)/ Stability
- Psychoticism (P)
Criminal personality = score highly on E, N + P
What is Eysenck’s view on the personality?
Personality traits = biological in origin
Determined by type of nervous system inherited
- Criminal behaviour = innate
What is a high extraversion personality?
Under active nervous system
Constantly seeking excitement, stimulation + risk beh
What is a high neuroticism personality?
Nervous
Jumpy
Over-anxious
Unpredictable
What is a high psychoticism personality?
Cold
Unemotional
Prone to aggression
What are the 3 weaknesses of Eysenck’s theory?
- Cultural bias
- Biased samples
- Idea that all criminal behaviour can be explained by a single personality type
What is a strength of Eysenck’s theory?
Supporting evidence
Eysenck + Eysenck (1977)
Compared 2070 male prisoners E,N,P scores with 2422 controls
Across all age groups, prisoners recorded higher scores than the controls
Who argued that Eysenck’s research has a cultural bias?
Bartol + Holanchok (1979)
Found Hispanic + African-American high security prisoners = less extraverted than a control group
How did Digman (1990) criticise Eysenck’s theory?
Developed a 5 Factor Model
Suggests = additional dimensions alongside E+N
Openness, agreeableness + conscientiousness
Multiple combinations = available so a high E+N score doesn’t mean that offending = inevitable
How is Eysenck’s sample biased?
The supporting research only looks at criminals who have been caught
Those who avoid detection may have different personality types
What part of the personality does Freud argue is responsible for criminal behaviour?
Superego
If doesn’t develop properly + = inadequate of deficient then criminal behaviour may occur
Id = given ‘free reign’
How does a weak superego develop?
What can happen as a result?
If same-sex parent = absent during phallic stage, child can’t develop fully formed superego
Makes criminal behaviour more likely - id = dominant
How does a deviant superego develop?
What could this result in?
If superego the child internalises has immoral/ deviant values this would lead to criminal behaviour
What could result form a harsh superego?
Excessively harsh superego, individual = overcome with G + anxiety, drive to criminal acts IOT satisfy superego’s desire for punishment
OR, might prevent person form expressing any antisocial impulses
Build up in unconscious
If superego prevents this, aggression/ sexual desire = build up over time until it becomes too strong, overwhelm ego - expressed suddenly + violently (rape, murder)
What is a criticism of the weak superego argument posed by Freud?
= little evidence children raised without same sex parent = less law-abiding as adults
Contradicts weak superego argument
What is a criticism of the deviant superego argument?
If children = raised by criminal parents go onto commit crimes themselves, may due to influence of genes/ socialisation rather than the formation of a deviant superego
What is a criticism of the harsh superego argument?
Most offenders - great lengths hide crimes, opposing claim that criminal behaviour reflects unconscious desire to be punished
How is Freud’s theory gender biased?
Suggests girls develop weaker superegos
Don’t experience castration anxiety, less motivated to identify with mothers than boys = with fathers
However males = more likely than females to be convicted of crimes, challenging this idea
What does Freud predict about a criminals upbringing?
Come from unstable homes
May have suffered traumatic experiences as child (sexual/ physical abuse)
Supported by findings of Currie + Tekin (2006), Widom + Maxfield (2001)
What did Currie + Tekin (2006) find in relation to an offenders childhood?
Found child abuse/neglect doubles probability of engaging in many types of crimes
Sexual abuse has largest -ve effects
Probability of engaging in crime increases with experience of multiple forms of maltreatment
Supporting Freud’s prediction about offenders childhood
What did Widom + Maxfield (2001) find in relation to an offenders childhood?
Found being abused/ neglected as a child increases likelihood of being arrested:
- as a juvenile by 59%
- as an adult y 28%
- for a violent crime by 30%
Supports Freud’s prediction about offenders childhood
What are 2 pieces of supporting evidence for Freud’s predictions about an offenders childhood?
- Currie + Tekin (2006)
2. Widom + Maxfield (2001)
