Psychodynamic explanations Flashcards
evaluation for psychodynamic explanations
contradictory evidence - there is little evidence that children raised by same sex parent are less law abiding. similarly children raised by deviant parents go on a commit crimes themselves this could be due to influence of genetics and socialisation rather than deviant superego.
gender bias
- psychodynamic theory assumes girls develop a weaker superego than boys this is because girls do not experience castration anxiety associated with Oedipus complex so have less need to identify with mothers. this means females are more prone to criminal behaviour. this is simply not supported by evidence from prison populations.
methodological issues
- Bowlby has been accused to influencing the response of his participants and so demonstrating research bias. he also failed to distinguish between privation and deprivation. where privation seems to have more damaging effects than deprivation
