Forensics: Psychodynamic theory Flashcards

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1
Q

Summarise Blackburn’s theory

A
  • If the superego is somehow deficient or inadequate then criminal behaviour is inevitable because the id is given ‘free reign’ -> 3 explanations:
  • the weak superego
  • the deviant superego
  • the over-harsh superego
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2
Q

explain the weak superego (Blackburn)

A
  • 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.
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3
Q

Explain the deviant superego (Blackburn)

A
  • if the superego the child internalises has immoral or deviant values this would lead to offending behaviour e.g. influence of criminal parents.
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4
Q

Explain the over-harsh superego

A
  • An excessively harsh or punitive super-ego makes the individual crippled by guilt or anxiety. They may then commit criminal acts – to satisfy the superego’s need for punishment.
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5
Q

Explain how the maternal deprivation theory is an explanation for offending (Bowlby, maternal bond)

A
  • Failure to establish maternal bond in first few years.
  • leads to damaging and irreversible consequences.
  • Affectionless psychopathy: lack of guilt, empathy and feelings for others – can result in engaging in delinquency.
    -> Bowlby’s study on 44 thieves
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6
Q

Explain Englander’s theory on displacement

A
  • If offenders cannot control their aggression, which comes from their instinctive id, the aggression might spill out of their unconscious, resulting in violent and offending behaviour.
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7
Q

Explain how defence mechanisms work

A
  • these are used by the unconscious mind to reduce anxiety:
  • Displacement: focus of anger shifted from actual target to neutral target.
  • Denial: unwanted reality of threatening event is ignored and blocked from conscious awareness.
  • Repression: involves the ego stopping unwanted and possibly painful thoughts from being conscious.
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8
Q

List the evaluations for the psychodynamic approach for offending

A

Positive:
- considers emotion

Negative:
- gender bias
- Unconscious concepts (lacks empiricism)
- Correlation not causation

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9
Q

(+) explain how the psychodynamic approach considers emotions

A
  • Unlike most of the other approaches, the psychodynamic approach deals with the role of emotional factors.
  • It explains how 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.
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10
Q

(-) explain how the psychodynamic approach has gender bias (Hoffman)

A
  • Alpha bias in Freud’s research – women have lower status.
  • argued women do not identify with same-sex parent as much as boys do.
    -> Superego is not fully realised as well as their sense of morality
  • If Freud’s views were correct, there should be more female criminals than men because of a weak super-ego -> however it is the other way around.
  • Hoffman found little difference in terms of gender for resistance to temptation.
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11
Q

(-) explain how the psychodynamic approach uses unconscious concepts (lacks falsifiability -> lacks empiricism)

A
  • unconscious concepts - lack of falsifiability and are not open to empirical testing.
  • Psychodynamic explanations are therefore regarded as ‘pseudoscientific’ – fake science.
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12
Q

(-) explain how research supporting the psychodynamic approach is correlational and does not explain causation (Lewis)

A
  • Lewis (1954) analysed data drawn from interviews with 500 young people.
  • Found maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships in adolescence.
    -> There could be alternative explanations such as genetics or other social influences.
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