individualistic theories Flashcards
(LEARNING) Banduras social learning theory
- learn criminal behaviours through imitation of people and vicarious reinforcement in our environment
- more likely to imitate if a model if they are of a high status or can identify with them
- more likely to imitate if positive consequence
Banduras bobo doll study
- observe adult models behaving aggressively or non aggressively
- children taken to room with bobo doll, imitated adults behaviour was either aggressive or not aggressive
(LEARNING) Sutherlands differential association theory
- learn criminal behaviours through imitation in family and peer groups
- result of: imitation ( of criminal acts in which an individual learns criminal skills and techniques through observing and imitating others)
learned attitudes ( when socialisation within the peer group exposes the individual to attitiudes and values about the law)
sutherlands study
- study of white collar crime
- found that group attitudes in the workplace normalised criminal behaviour
(PSYCHODYNAMIC) Freuds psychodynamic theory
- early childhood experiences determine personality including trauma
- parts of personality:
id : need to satisfy selfish urges, pleasure principle
ego : seeks rational and sensible control
superego : morality principle - damage to superego caused by abnormal relationship with parents
Freuds explanation of criminality
weakly developed superego = feeling less guilt about anti-social behaviour, less inhibition about acting on id, making them likely to offend
a too harsh and unforgiving superego = deep-seated feelings of guilt causes a craving for punishment leading to compulsive reoffending
deviant superego = socialised into a deviant moral code, feeling no guilt about criminal behaviour therefore likely to offend
Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory
- child needs a continuous, close relationship with mother, especially during years 0-5
- if attachment is broken through separation, it can leave child unable to form meaningful, emotional relationships in the future
- child likely to become an ‘affectionless psychopath’ in the future according to Bowlby
Bowlby’s study
- study of 44 juvenile thieves
- 39% of them had suffered maternal deprivation before age of 5 in comparison to the 5% of the control group of non-delinquents
Eysencks theory of personality
- certain personality types are more likely to commit crime
- either extroverts/introverts = sociable but easily bored/ reliable and in control of emotions
- neurotic/stable = very anxious + irrational/ calm and emotionally controlled
- psychoticism = cold, uncaring and aggressive
who is most likely to offend according to Eysenck
extraverted, neurotic and psychotic as they are impulsive, thrill-seeking and are unable to accept societal rules
