Forensics- Psychological Explanations: Psychodynamic Explanations Flashcards
Psychodynamic explanations -
A group of theories influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud which share the belief that unconscious conflicts, rooted in early childhood and determined by interactions with parents, drive future - and in this case criminal - behaviour.
Psychodynamic Explanations of Offending
What is the superego, and how does it relate to offending?
The superego is part of the tripartite personality structure and works on the morality principle, punishing the ego with guilt for wrongdoing and rewarding it with pride for moral behavior. If the superego is inadequate, the id may dominate, leading to criminal behavior.
What are the three types of inadequate superego?
1.Weak superego:
•Happens when the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage.
•The child cannot internalize a fully-formed superego, increasing the likelihood of immoral behavior.
2.Deviant superego:
•Occurs when a child internalizes deviant values, such as being raised by a criminal parent.
•Guilt is not associated with wrongdoing, leading to offending behavior.
3.Over-harsh superego:
•Results in excessive guilt and anxiety.
•Criminal acts may be committed to satisfy the superego’s need for punishment.
What is Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory?
Bowlby argued that a warm, continuous relationship with a mother-figure in early childhood is essential for emotional development. Failure to form this bond may lead to affectionless psychopathy and delinquent behavior.
What evidence supports Bowlby’s theory?
•In the 44 juvenile thieves study:
•14 of the thieves were classified as affectionless psychopaths.
•Of these 14, 12 had experienced prolonged maternal separation during infancy.
•In the control group, only 2 experienced similar separation.
•Bowlby concluded that maternal deprivation caused affectionless and delinquent behavior.
What are the criticisms of gender bias in psychodynamic theories?
•Freud assumed that girls develop a weaker superego because they do not experience castration anxiety.
•This suggests girls are less moral, which contradicts evidence (e.g., Hoffman’s study found little girls were often more moral than boys).
•Statistics also show that men are more likely to commit crimes, contradicting Freud’s claim.
What evidence contradicts the inadequate superego theory?
•No evidence supports that children raised without a same-sex parent are less law-abiding or moral.
•Criminal behavior in children raised by pro-crime parents could result from genetics or socialization, not a deviant superego.
•Most offenders try to avoid punishment, contradicting the idea of an unconscious desire for it.
Why are psychodynamic explanations criticized for lack of scientific credibility?
•The reliance on unconscious concepts makes them untestable and pseudoscientific.
•Claims like the inadequate superego lack empirical support and rely on face value.
What are the methodological issues with Bowlby’s study?
•Bowlby’s 44 thieves study has been criticized for poor methodology, undermining the reliability of his findings.
Methodological Issues with Bowlby’s Research
What criticisms have been made of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?
•Researcher Bias: Bowlby’s preconceptions about what he expected to find may have influenced the responses of the interviewees.
•Lack of Distinction Between Deprivation and Privation: Bowlby did not differentiate between privation (when a child is never given the opportunity to form an attachment) and deprivation (when an attachment is broken). Many of the thieves in his study had experienced privation, which is often considered more damaging than deprivation.
What is the difference between deprivation and privation?
•Deprivation: Occurs when a child has formed an attachment but loses it due to separation or neglect.
•Privation: Happens when a child never forms an attachment in the first place, typically due to early neglect or abandonment.
What does Hilda Lewis’s study suggest about maternal deprivation?
•Hilda Lewis (1954) analyzed interviews with 500 young people and found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form relationships in adolescence.
Why is it difficult to draw causal links between maternal deprivation and delinquency?
•Even if there is a link between children who experienced maternal separation and later criminal behavior, this does not necessarily imply causation.
•Other factors (such as genetics or influences from peers and social groups) could contribute to delinquency. Maternal deprivation might be one contributing factor, but not necessarily the most decisive or the only factor.
