Chapter 13: Psychological Theories Pt. 1

Question 1

What do psychological theories place most of their focus on?

Answer 1

the etiology of crime and the stability and change of criminal propensities over the individual’s life course

Question 2

What are the two main types of mental disorders?

Answer 2

psychosis

neurosis

Question 3

What is psychosis?

Answer 3

a severe break with reality and may exhibit dangerous behavior

Question 4

What are the symptoms of psychosis?

Answer 4

• delusions
• hallucinations disorganized speech
• being in catatonic state
• engaging in grossly disorganized behavior

Question 5

How long are psychotic episodes?

Answer 5

they can be brief or long

Question 6

What is the behavior of most people who suffer with psychosis?

Answer 6

most psychotics are non-violent

Question 7

What percentage of homicide offenders in the U.S. are considered psychotic?

Answer 7

only about 1% of all homicide offenders in the U.S. are considered psychotic

Question 8

Why are people with psychosis placed under greater supervision?

Answer 8

Because they are fairly easy to identify

Question 9

Among serial killers _________ is rare.

Answer 9

psychosis

Question 10

________ is less serious than psychosis.

Answer 10

Neurosis

Question 11

What are the symptoms of neurosis?

Answer 11

Includes persons with:

• compulsive and obsessive behaviors
• anxiety disorders
• substance-abuse disorders

Question 12

What percentage of the inmate population has neurosis?

Answer 12

4-6%

Question 13

What are the different types of psychological theories?

Answer 13

(1) Psychoanalytic Theory
(2) Learning Theories
(3) Social Learning

Question 14

Who created psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 14

Sigmund Freud

Question 15

What are the three different components of human personality according to psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 15

id, ego, and superego

Question 16

Is this the id, ego, or superego: unconscious reservoir of irrational, anti-social, and instinctual impulses

Answer 16

id

Question 17

Is this the id, ego, or superego: attempts to mediate between two components of personality

Answer 17

ego

Question 18

Is this the id, ego, or superego: aka the great compromises or reality principle

Answer 18

ego

Question 19

Is this the id, ego, or superego: the conscious and unconscious elements involving the forces of self-criticism and moral/ethical prohibitions

Answer 19

superego

Question 20

According to psychoanalytic theory why do we have criminal behavior?

Answer 20

criminal behavior is a result of conflict between the id, ego, and superego

Question 21

According to psychoanalytic theory what are the primary causes of crime?

Answer 21

(1) negative child hood experiences (i.e. poor parental relations and/or childhood trauma)
(2) abnormal maturation and fixation at a stage of emotional development
(3) repressed sexuality or guilt

Question 22

What are some examples of childhood trauma?

Answer 22

• sexual assaults on child
• parental abuse
• incest
• exposure of the child to sexual activity

Question 23

According to psychoanalytic theory what are ways we can understand and control deviant behavior?

Answer 23

dream therapy and exercises in “free association”