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.
What are psychodynamic explanations of offending?
Psychodynamic explanations focus on unconscious processes and early childhood experiences, particularly the development of the superego and the impact of maternal deprivation, to explain criminal behavior.
What are the three types of inadequate superego?
- Weak superego: Occurs if the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage, preventing the child from internalizing a fully-formed superego.
- Deviant superego: Occurs if the child internalizes immoral or deviant values from a criminal parent.
- Over-harsh superego: An excessively punitive superego may drive individuals to commit crimes to satisfy their unconscious need for punishment.
What is the role of the superego in psychodynamic explanations?
The superego, part of Freud’s tripartite personality structure, operates on the morality principle, punishing the ego with guilt for wrongdoing and rewarding it with pride for moral behavior. An inadequate superego can lead to criminal behavior.
What is maternal deprivation theory?
John Bowlby’s theory states that a warm, continuous relationship with a mother-figure is crucial for healthy development. Failure to form this bond can lead to affectionless psychopathy, characterized by a lack of guilt, empathy, and the ability to form relationships, increasing the likelihood of delinquency.
What did Bowlby’s 44 juvenile thieves study find?
Bowlby found that 14 out of 44 juvenile thieves exhibited affectionless psychopathy, and 12 of these had experienced prolonged maternal separation in infancy. In a non-criminal control group, only two had similar separation experiences, suggesting a link between maternal deprivation and delinquency.
What is affectionless psychopathy?
Affectionless psychopathy is a personality type resulting from maternal deprivation, characterized by a lack of guilt, empathy, and the ability to form meaningful relationships, often leading to criminal behavior.
What is the gender bias in Freudian theory?
Freud suggested that girls develop a weaker superego than boys because they do not experience castration anxiety, leading to less pressure to identify with their mothers. However, this is contradicted by evidence showing that females are not more prone to criminal behavior and often display higher moral reasoning than males.
What contradictory evidence challenges the weak superego argument?
There is little evidence that children raised without a same-sex parent are less law-abiding as adults. Additionally, criminal behavior in children of criminal parents may be due to genetics or socialization rather than a deviant superego.
What is the criticism regarding the over-harsh superego?
The idea that criminals commit crimes to satisfy an unconscious need for punishment is implausible, as most offenders try to avoid punishment by concealing their crimes.
What is the issue with unconscious concepts in psychodynamic explanations?
Psychodynamic explanations rely on unconscious processes that are not open to empirical testing, making them unfalsifiable and pseudoscientific. This limits their scientific credibility and practical application in understanding or preventing crime.
What are the methodological issues with Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?
Bowlby’s study has been criticized for researcher bias, as his preconceptions may have influenced the responses of interviewees. He also failed to distinguish between deprivation (loss of an attachment figure) and privation (never having formed an attachment), which have different psychological impacts.
What is the difference between deprivation and privation?
- Deprivation: The loss of an attachment figure after a bond has been formed.
- Privation: The absence of any attachment bond during early childhood, which is considered more damaging.
What did Hilda Lewis (1954) find about maternal deprivation?
Lewis found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships, suggesting that other factors, such as genetics or social influences, may play a more significant role.
What is the third variable problem in the context of maternal deprivation and crime?
The third variable problem refers to the possibility that other factors (e.g., genetics, poverty, or social environment) may explain the link between maternal deprivation and crime, rather than deprivation itself being the direct cause.
What is the overall criticism of psychodynamic explanations of crime?
Psychodynamic explanations are criticized for being unfalsifiable, relying on untestable unconscious concepts, and lacking empirical support. They also oversimplify the causes of criminal behavior by focusing on early childhood experiences and ignoring other factors like genetics, social environment, and individual agency.
What is the significance of Bowlby’s research despite its limitations?
Bowlby’s research highlighted the importance of early attachment relationships in psychological development, but its application to criminal behavior is limited by methodological flaws and the lack of consideration for other influencing factors.
What is the key takeaway from psychodynamic explanations of offending?
While psychodynamic explanations provide insight into the role of early childhood experiences and unconscious processes in criminal behavior, they are limited by their lack of scientific rigor and failure to account for broader social, genetic, and environmental influences.
What is affectionless psychopathy?
Affectionless psychopathy is a personality type resulting from maternal deprivation, characterized by a lack of guilt, empathy, and the ability to form meaningful relationships, often leading to criminal behavior.
What is the issue with unconscious concepts in psychodynamic explanations?
Psychodynamic explanations rely on unconscious processes that are not open to empirical testing, making them unfalsifiable and pseudoscientific. This limits their scientific credibility and practical application in understanding or preventing crime.
What contradictory evidence challenges the weak superego argument?
There is little evidence that children raised without a same-sex parent are less law-abiding as adults. Additionally, criminal behavior in children of criminal parents may be due to genetics or socialization rather than a deviant superego.
What is the criticism regarding the over-harsh superego?
The idea that criminals commit crimes to satisfy an unconscious need for punishment is implausible, as most offenders try to avoid punishment by concealing their crimes.
What are the methodological issues with Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?
Bowlby’s study has been criticized for researcher bias, as his preconceptions may have influenced the responses of interviewees. He also failed to distinguish between deprivation (loss of an attachment figure) and privation (never having formed an attachment), which have different psychological impacts.
What is the gender bias in Freudian theory?
Freud suggested that girls develop a weaker superego than boys because they do not experience castration anxiety, leading to less pressure to identify with their mothers. However, this is contradicted by evidence showing that females are not more prone to criminal behavior and often display higher moral reasoning than males.
What is the difference between deprivation and privation?
- Deprivation: The loss of an attachment figure after a bond has been formed.
- Privation: The absence of any attachment bond during early childhood, which is considered more damaging.
What is the third variable problem in the context of maternal deprivation and crime?
The third variable problem refers to the possibility that other factors (e.g., genetics, poverty, or social environment) may explain the link between maternal deprivation and crime, rather than deprivation itself being the direct cause.
What did Hilda Lewis (1954) find about maternal deprivation?
Lewis found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships, suggesting that other factors, such as genetics or social influences, may play a more significant role.
What is the overall criticism of psychodynamic explanations of crime?
Psychodynamic explanations are criticized for being unfalsifiable, relying on untestable unconscious concepts, and lacking empirical support. They also oversimplify the causes of criminal behavior by focusing on early childhood experiences and ignoring other factors like genetics, social environment, and individual agency.
What is the significance of Bowlby’s research despite its limitations?
Bowlby’s research highlighted the importance of early attachment relationships in psychological development, but its application to criminal behavior is limited by methodological flaws and the lack of consideration for other influencing factors.
What is the key takeaway from psychodynamic explanations of offending?
While psychodynamic explanations provide insight into the role of early childhood experiences and unconscious processes in criminal behavior, they are limited by their lack of scientific rigor and failure to account for broader social, genetic, and environmental influences.
