Forensic Psychology - Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Who is important in the psychodynamic approach to offending?

Answer 1

Blackburn

Question 2

What did Blackburn propose?

Answer 2

He proposed that if the superego is somehow deficient or inadequate then criminal behaviour is inevitable because the ID has given free reign

Question 3

What 3 variations did Blackburn explain?

Answer 3

Weak superego
Deviant superego
Over harsh super ego

Question 4

Why would the superego be weak?

Answer 4

if the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage there is no identification so the child cannot internalise a fully-formed superego – making immoral / criminal behaviour likely.

Question 5

What would the effect of a deviant super ego be?

Answer 5

if the superego is over deviant the child internalises immoral or deviant values this would lead to offending behaviour e.g. criminal parents.

Question 6

What is the super ego

Answer 6

The part of our unconscious that forms around 5 and operates on the morality principle

Question 7

What would the effect of an overly harsh super ego be?

Answer 7

The individual is constantly crippled by guilt or anxiety. They may then commit criminal acts – to satisfy the superego’s need for punishment.

Question 8

Who did the 44 thieves study?

Answer 8

Bowlby

Question 9

What was part of Bowlby research (specifically linked to reoffending)

Answer 9

His 44 Theives study specified affectionless psychopaths

Question 10

What did Englander believe?

Answer 10

He said that displaced anger in offenders may explain their antisocial behaviour
He said that if offenders can’t control their aggression (which comes from their instinctive id), the aggression may spill out of their unconscious, resulting in violence and offenders
Denial and repression can also lead to offending

Question 11

What are the negative evaluations of the psychodynamic approach to offending?

Answer 11

Gender Bias
Contradictory evidence for Blackburn
Unconscious concepts
Methodological Issues with Bowlby’s Research
Other Contradictory evidence

Question 12

What are the positive evaluations of the psychodynamic approach to offending?

Answer 12

Consideration of emotion

Question 13

Explain the negative evaluation of the Psychodynamic explanation: Gender Bias

Answer 13

■ Argued women develop a weaker super ego than men because they do not identify with their same-sex parents as much as boys do. So women’s superego’s aren’t fully realised as well as their sense of morality (alpha bias)
■ If Freud’s views were correct, there should be more female criminals than men because of a weak super-ego.
■ In 1975 Hoffman found very little difference in term of gender for resistance to temptation to commit crime

Question 14

Explain the negative evaluation of the Psychodynamic explanation: Contradictory evidence from Blackburn

Answer 14

■ Little evidence that children raised without same-sex parents are less law-abiding as adults – contradicting the weak super ego argument.
■ If children born to criminals go on to commit crime this could be due to genetics or socialisation rather than the formation of a deviant superego.
■ Unconscious desire for punishment – implausible as many criminals go to great lengths to conceal their crimes.

Question 15

Explain the negative evaluation of the Psychodynamic explanation: Unconscious concepts

Answer 15

Lacks falsifiability and can’t be empirically tested (as it is attempting to test the unconscious)
It is therefore regarded as pseudoscientific (Not bowlby)

Question 16

Explain the negative evaluation of the Psychodynamic explanation: Methodological Issues with Bowlby’s research?

Answer 16

Researcher bias – preconceptions about what he expected to find influencing his research and retrospective.
■ Criticised by Rutter (1981) for failing to distinguish between privation and deprivation.
■ Many of the thieves he studied had experienced privation which is considered to be more damaging.
■ Curtiss (1977) – the case of Genie

Question 17

Explain the negative evaluation of the Psychodynamic explanation: Other Contradictory evidence

However…

Answer 17

■ Lewis (1954) analysed data drawn from interviews with 500 young people.
■ Found maternal deprivation – poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships in adolescence.
■ There could be alternative explanations such as genetics or social influences.
However, this is correlational data

Question 18

Explane the case of Genie

Answer 18

■ Curtiss (1977) – the case of Genie
Genie had severe learning needs and her father forbid her mother and brother ffrom interacting with her. She was tied to her cot and couldnt speak or walk. It was one of the worst cases of child abuse. This highlighted privation, not deprivation, when children do not form attachments with their primary care givers.

Question 19

Explain the positive evaluation of the psychodynamic approach: Considerations of emotion

Answer 19

■ The Psychodynamic approach deals with the role of emotional factors. (anxiety and / or how feelings of rejection may contribute to offending behaviour)
■ It also recognises the role of biological influences and early childhood experiences in moulding adult personality.