Psychodynamic explanation of offending behaviour

Question 1

What are the 2 psychodynamic explanations of offending behaviour

Answer 1

Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory

Freud’s psychodynamic approach(specifically the superego theory)

Question 2

What is maternal deprivation

Answer 2

Loss of emotional care normally provided by primary caregiver

Question 3

What did Bowlby suggest happens when prolonged maternal deprivation occurs

Answer 3

After 2.5 years, there is long term effects e.g. low IQ, aggression, depression etc

Question 4

What is affectionless psychopathy

Answer 4

Long term consequence of maternal deprivation

Lack of guilt, empathy and feelings

Question 5

Outline Bowlby’s 44 thieves study

Answer 5

Aim - To see link between maternal deprivation and affectionless psychopathy

Procedure - 33 males/11 females categorised 1-5 on severity of crime
Parents/children interviewed to gain insight on childhood/maternal deprivation
Control group maternally deprived but did not commit crimes(44)

Findings - 14 out of 44 were affectionless psychopaths
12 out of the 14 were maternally deprived
Control group had no affectionless psychopaths/2 maternally deprived

Conclusion - Strong correlation between maternal deprivation and affectionless psychopathy
Strong link between maternal deprivation and offending behaviour as AP can lead to criminal behaviour

Question 6

Outline Freud’s concept of the superego

Answer 6

Formed in the phallic stage of sexual development (age 5) through identifying with same sex parent

Morality principle as it helps decide what is right and wrong

Question 7

What did Blackburn suggest

Answer 7

Inadequate superego means the ID isn’t controlled and criminal behaviour is likely

Question 8

What are the 3 types of inadequate superego

Answer 8

Weak superego

Overharsh superego

Deviant superego

Question 9

Outline weak superego

Answer 9

Absent same sex parent during phallic stage means superego doesn’t fully form and there’s no identification making criminal behaviour likely

Question 10

Outline overharsh superego

Answer 10

Identification with a strict parent means child feels guilty when ID is satisfied. Child then goes on to commit crimes to be caught and punished to remove guilt

Question 11

Outline deviant superego

Answer 11

Identification with criminal same sex parent so criminal attitude is adopted leading to crime

Question 12

Outline the psychodynamic explanation of offending behaviour

Answer 12

Evidence to refute Bowlby’s study - Investigator bias

Concept of superego is not scientific - can’t be objectively measured

Psychodynamic explanations are too simplistic - Farrington’s longitudinal study on 400 south london boys shows important risk factors for crime is family history of crime, risk taking, low school grades, poverty, poor parenting

Psychic determinism - Suggests criminal behaviour is due to maternal deprivation - People may have reasons to not commit crime