FORENSIC- PSYCHODYNAMIC AO1 + AO3

Question 1

offending comes from what and when is ____ formed

Answer 1

inadequate superego, superego formed at the end of the phallic stage and children resolve the Oedipus complex and Electra complex

Question 2

if superego not developed correctly,

Answer 2

criminal behaviour is inevitable

Question 3

three types of superego that can lead to offending behaviour

Answer 3

1) weak superego, same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage, child cannot internalise a fully formed superego
2) deviant superego, child internalises immoral values from those around them e.g. father who is a criminal
3) over harsh superego, really harsh parenting leads to superego been crippled by guilt and anxiety which leads to criminal acts as this punishes superego

Question 4

Maternal deprivation

Answer 4

bowlby, must have a warm continuous relationship with Mother, affectionate psychopathy, 44 thieves study, 12 experience prolong separation from Mother

Question 5

Strength 1

Answer 5

• research support, researchers conducted analysis of offenders and found disturbances in the superego formation + them feeling guilty and need for self punishment, evidence to support the harsh parenting with superego
• however, contradicting evidence shows that harsh parenting may raise children who are rebellious and don’t express guilt

Question 6

limitation one

Answer 6

• gender bias
• girls develop a weaker superego than boys because identification with the same-sex parent is not strong as girls do not experience castration anxiety and under less pressure to identify with their mothers, so the superego is less fully realised which implies that women should offend more
• however, more men go to prison so alpha bias

Question 7

Limitation two

Answer 7

• other factors
• researcher found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending but it cannot be the only link so there must be more reasons such as growing up in poverty

Question 8

limitation 3

Answer 8

can’t test superego, unfalsifiable lacks scientific credibility