Psychodynamic explanation

Question 1

Outline the inadequate superego as an explanation for offending.

Answer 1

Blackburn - offending behaviour happens if a person has an inadequate Superego and therefore the id is not controlled. There are 3 types of inadequate Superego:
- The weak Superego: Caused by an absent same sex-parent in the phallic stage. A child cannot internalise a fully formed Superego.

Offending: There is no opportunity for identification so offending behaviour is more likely.

• The deviant Superego
  Caused by the internalisation of an immoral/deviant Superego from criminal parents.

Offending: they are more likely to offend as might not feel guilt when committing a crime

• The over-harsh Superego
  Caused by strict parenting.
  This leads to the person feeling anxiety and guilt.

Offending: They unconsciously seek punishment by committing criminal acts.

Question 2

Outline a piece of research relating to the theory.

Answer 2

Bowlby (1944) – the effects of maternal deprivation: 44 juvenile thieves

Aims: to test the maternal deprivation hypothesis: were ‘thieves’ more likely to have experienced early separations during which they received little substitute care, Procedure Interviewed 44 children aged 5 – 16 (juvenile delinquents) and parents and compared them to 44 non criminals.
Findings: 14 showed signs of affectionless psychopathy– 12 of these had experienced prolonged separation from their mothers during infancy (critical period)
Conclusions: effects of maternal deprivation had caused affectionless psychopathy and delinquent behavior in juvenile thieves. – lack of guilt, remorse and feeling for others.

Question 3

Evaluate.

Answer 3

+ Research support – inadequate superego: Sutherland Goreta analysed 10 offenders and diagnosed each with a disturbance to the Superego which led to unconscious feelings of guilt and the need for self -punishment

• Lacks of research: there is little evidence that offenders have experienced harsh parenting.

+ A distal explanation whereas the cognitive approach offers proximal explanation. Suggests origin of behaviour whereas cognitive explanation simply defines criminal cognition.

• Freudian theory is gender biased: females should have a weaker Superego due to the Electra complex, than males. However, there are 20 times more men in UK prisons than women.
• Other factors: Lewis analysed 500 interviews of young offenders and found maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of offending behaviour, instead maternal deprivation may be linked to socioeconomic factors such as growing up in poverty.