psych explanation: psychodynamic

Question 1

AO1: inadequate superego

Answer 1

if a superego is somehow deficient or has not developed properly then the conscience and ability to control impulsive behaviours do not develop fully either, making crime inevitable

Question 2

AO1: weak superego

Answer 2

if same sex parent is absent during the phallic stage, there is no opportunity for the child to internalise the values and morals of the parent. They have little control over anti-social behaviour, which makes criminal behaviour more likely.

Question 3

AO1: devient superego

Answer 3

the same sex parent has deviant attitudes which the child adopts. Leading to immoral behaviour

Question 4

AO1: over developed superego

Answer 4

if a child has a overly strict, harsh parent they may internalise an over developed superego leading to guilt and anxiety. Leads to committing a crime in order to get caught which satisfies the overwhelming need for punishment.

Question 5

AO3: superego- strength- research support

however, small sample

Answer 5

P: research support
E: Freudian style analysis of 10 offenders referred for psychiatric treatment.
E: All had disturbances in superego formation diagnosed, as well as experiences unconscious feeling of guilt and the need for self punishment.
L: supports the role of an over harsh ego as a basis for offending.
HOWEVER, small sample so low population validity

Question 6

AO3: superego: limitation- gender bias

Answer 6

P: gender bias from Freud
E: suggests girls develop a weaker superego as their identification with same sex parent is not as strong as boys
E: Implications of this is that women should be more prone to offending, rates of imprisonment shows the opposite is true, 20x more men in the UK
L; therefore alpha bias

Question 7

AO1: maternal deprivation hypothesis

Answer 7

ability to form meaningful relationships in adulthood is dependent upon child forming a warm, continuous relationship with a mother figure.

a consequence of not having this is having the personality type, affectionless psychopathy, characterised by las of guilt, empathy and feelings for others. leading to engaging in acts of offending.

Question 8

AO1 44 juvenile thieves

Answer 8

Bowlby investigated. Found through interviews with thieves and their families that 14 of them showed personality and behavioural characterised that could be classified as affectionless psychopathy. Of this 14, 12 had experienced maternal deprivation.

Question 9

AO3: maternal deprivation- only based on an association

However, research has made a contribution to society

Answer 9

P: only based on association between maternal deprivation and offending
E: analysed data drawn from interviews with 500 young people and found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending
E: even if there is a link, there is not necessarily a causal relationship
HOWEVER, the link of early experience in childhood to offending is something that is now regarded as common sense in criminology.

Question 10

AO3: both- limitation- biologically reductionist

Answer 10

P: biologically reductionist
E: doesn’t consider other factors e.g. genes