Lesson 8: Psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour Flashcards
What are the THREE parts of personality
1) Id
2) Ego
3) Superego
What shapes the development of these three parts of personality
experience and conflict in CHILDHOOD shape the development of the three parts of personality- affecting how a person behaves
Describe the Id
Formed: between birth and 18 months of age
-In the UNCONSCIOUS mind
-It is IRRATIONAL and EMOTIONAL-> deals with feelings + needs and seeks pleasure
What principle does the Id operate on?
Operates on the PLEASURE principle
Describe the ego
Formed: around 18 months until 3 years of age
-In the CONSCIOUS mind
-May delay GRATIFICATION that the ID wants until there is a more APPROPRIATE time to express it
-compromises between the IMPULSIVE demands of the id and MORALISTIC demands of the superego
What principle does the ego operate on?
Operates on the REALITY principle
Describe the superego
Formed: Between 3->6 years of age
-In the UNCONSCIOUS mind
-acts as a CONSCIENCE or MORAL guide based on parental and societal VALUES
What principle does the superego operate on?
Operates on the MORALITY principle
What is the last part of personality to form?
the superego
When does the superego develop?
it develops at the end of the PHALLIC stage of PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT
What is the major conflict at the phallic stage for males?
Oedipus complex- male child UNCONSCIOUSLY wishes to possess their mother and get rid of their father
What do boys develop as a result of the OEDIPUS complex
Castration anxiety- the fear that their father will cut off their penis to punish them for their desire of their mother
How do boys resolve castration anxiety
Child IDENITIFIES with their father + INTERNALISES their father’s SUPERGO, creating their own
What is the major conflict at the phallic stage for girls?
Electra complex
How do girls resolve the electra complex
they IDENTIFY with their mother and INTERNALISE her superego (but not to the same extent)
What did Blackburn (1993) argue about the superego?
if the superego is somehow DEFICIENT or INADEQUATE then criminal behaviour is INEVITABLE beacuse the ID is not properly controlled
What are the three types of inadequate superego
- WEAK superego
- DEVIANT superego
- OVER-HARSH superego
How does a WEAK superego form
if the same-sex parent is ABSENT during the PHALLIC stage, the chid cannot INTERNALISE a fully formed superego bc there is no opportunity for IDENTIFICATION.
Making OFFENDING behaviour likely
How does a DEVIANT superego form?
if the superego the child internalises has IMMORAL or DEVIANT values, this often leads to offending behaviour
How does a OVER-HARSH superego form?
an excessively PUNITIVE superego means an individual is crippled by GUILT + ANXIETY.
This may UNCONSCIOUSLY drive the individual to perform criminal acts in order to SATISFY the superego’s need for punishment
NEGATIVE evaluation of the psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour
( assumption= girls superego<boys superego)
- An assumption of the Psychodynamic approach is the idea that GIRLS develop a
WEAKER superego than boys.
The implication is that females should be more PRONE to criminal behaviour.
HOWEVER, This is simply not supported by crime statistics.
For Instance, in 2019, 74% of individuals dealt with by the Criminal Justice System were MALE, and 26% were female.
NEGATIVE evaluation of the psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour
(Hint: children’s ability to resist temptation)
- HOFFMAN (1975) tested children’s ability to resist temptation.
He found hardly any gender difference, although girls were slightly MORE moral than boys.
NEGATIVE evaluation of the psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour
(Hint: very little evidence, same-sex parent)
- There is very little EVIDENCE that children raised without a same-sex parent
are LESS law-abiding as adults (or have less of a conscience).
NEGATIVE evaluation of the psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour
(Other explanations e.g genetics)
- If children raised by deviant parents go on to commit crime themselves this
could be due to genetics or learning rather than a deviant superego.
NEGATIVE evaluation of the psychodynamic approach of offending behaviour
- The idea that some criminals have an unconscious desire for punishment is
implausible, most offenders go to great lengths to conceal their crime and so
avoid punishment
