Evaluate The Effectiveness Of Individualistic Theories (3.2)

Question 1

Who created psychoanalysis theory?

Answer 1

Sigmund Freud

Question 2

What theory did Freud create?

Answer 2

Psychoanalysis

Question 3

Describe psychoanalysis theory

Answer 3

Freud believed that our early childhood experiences determine our behaviour and wether we are anti social or not. According to Freud the human personality is split into three elements the id, ego and super ego. Neglect in the early childhood leads to a weak super ego, a harsh super ego or a deviant superego.

Question 4

How does psychoanalysis relate to crime?

Answer 4

A weakly developed superego= the individual feels less guilt about anti-social behaviour and are then more likely to commit crime as they don’t care about their action.
A too harsh superego creates guilt in the individual so they commit crime as they crave punishment.
A deviant superego is one where the child is successfully socialised but into a deviant moral code so they internalise their criminal families values.

Question 5

Define the Id

Answer 5

Located in the unconscious mind the id is the animal part of the mind that controls our pleasure seeking needs for sex food and sleep. If we acted on these urges it would lead to anti social criminal behaviour

Question 6

Define the superego

Answer 6

The superego contains or morals. We learn this through early interactions in childhood. Through socialisation we learn what is considered right and wrong. However if the parents are criminals then anti social behaviour will be normalised.

Question 7

Define the ego

Answer 7

The ego is the struggle between the id and the superego. It attempts to create a balance between the conflicting demands. You learn this from real world experiences through reward and punishment.

Question 8

Who created the maternal deprivation theory?

Answer 8

Bowlby

Question 9

What theory did Bowlby create?

Answer 9

Maternal Deprivation theory

Question 10

Describe maternal deprivation theory

Answer 10

Bowlby argues that anti social behaviour is a result of a lack of a continuous relationship with a carer.

Question 11

Who created the Eysenck personality theory?

Answer 11

Eysenck

Question 12

Describe Eysenck’s personality theory

Answer 12

Eysencks theory of criminality explains that criminality is a result of an individuals personality type. On a scale from Extroverted to introverted and neuroticism versus emotion stability. Criminals tend to be highly extroverted and neurotic.

Question 13

Define an extroverted personality type in Eysenck terms

Answer 13

Outgoing, sociable, impulsive and short tempered.

Question 14

Define introverted personality type

Answer 14

Reserved, inward looking, serious, quiet and reliable

Question 15

Define the Neurotic and emotionally stable personality type

Answer 15

Anxious, moody, prone to over reacting whereas emotionally stable personalities are calm, even tempered, controlled and unworried.

Question 16

What is conditioning in terms of Eysenck’s theory?

Answer 16

That through experience we learn to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Eysenck believes we learn through conditioning but some individuals inherit a nervous system that causes them to develop a criminal personality.

Question 17

Evaluate Freud’s psychodynamic theory (positive)

Answer 17

Application: if early socialisation is important in the early stages of development then schools can recognise early signs of criminality. Further study’s by Bowlby also supported this idea of early socialisation.

Question 18

Evaluate Freuds psychodynamic theory (negative)

Answer 18

It relies on the existence of the unconscious mind which we cannot prove exists. This means it lacks validity as it cannot be measured and reduces the credibility of the theory.

Question 19

Evaluate Eysencks personality theory (negative)

Answer 19

The theory is reductionist as it tells us that criminals are Neurotic and Extroverted but not why they are criminals. It’s therefor limited in its explanation. This was further confirmed by Howitt in 2009