Psychodynamic explanations Flashcards
What is the super ego
The morality principle, judges what is right and wrong and guides us to make the right choices
How does a Deviant super ego form and why does this make them commit crime
The criminal had identified with the same sex role model as normal but the same sex role model had offender behaviour, the Offender grows up and lacks the morality to recognise that what they’re doing is wrong
How does a Weak super ego form and why does this make them commit crime
The criminal had an absent same sex role model and so their super ego didn’t have any morals to identify with so they don’t understand that what they are doing is wrong
How does a Overharsh super ego form and why does this make them commit crime
The criminal had strict parents in childhood and so the super ego becomes Punishing and causes immense guilt, that the person needs to commit crime to justify
What are the defence mechanisms and how do they cause someone to commit crime (Only 2)
Denial: someone downplays the seriousness of their crime or rejects the notion of them committing the crime all together
Displacement: Violent criminals feel anger at a target that they cannot express to anger to and so release their anger on weaker targets
