the psychodynamic approach

what are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach

those who commit crimes have the same personality structures as others but the balance is off

crimes come from unconscious drives that we aren't aware of and can’t control

should be able to find examples of poor/ different parenting in criminals - implement parenting lessons or remove child to reduce crime

to reduce crime we need to access and resolve psychic experiences

what are the 3 kinds of superego

deviant superego

overly harsh superego

weak superego

what is the deviant superego

when children during the phallic stage identify with deviant behaviour displayed by their parents - adopt similar behaviours/morals 

what is the overly harsh superego

when a person feels constant guilt from their superego so committing crimes displaces the guilt - argued that relief is only felt when they are caught and punished 

what is the weak superego

when there’s issues while the superego is developing (4-6) which can cause an inability to feel guilt or stop behaviour - becomes dominated by Id 

what 2 defence mechanisms are linked to criminality

displacement - replacing an object that causes anger/frustration with something/come one related

rationalisation - committing crimes but justifying it with appropriate reasons 

what is a strength of the superego theory

Goreta - 10 offenders referred to psychiatric treatment all showed overly harsh superego, guilt and a need to be punished

(but parents who raised them this way also had rebellious children with little guilt)

what are 2 limitations of the superego theory

untestable, abstract, unfalsifiable and unscientific theory

doesn’t apply to women - women are less criminal but Freud believed they have a less developed superego (should mean they are more criminal)

what attachment study is linked to criminality

Bowlby - 44 thieves study

what were the findings of the study

14/44 were affectionless psychopaths

12/14 were separated from their primary caregiver for more than 6 months before age 2

(only 2 experienced a similar prolonged separation in the control group)

what did Bowlby conclude from this study

the effects of maternal deprivation had caused affectionless psychopathy and delinquent behaviour (similar to weak superego)

what are 6 limitations of maternal deprivation and crime

modern cases focus more on neglect and abuse rather than separation

small sample + small number of APs

Bowlby diagnosed APs himself (researcher bias)

many children have disrupted childhoods but don’t commit crimes

Lewis - 500 interviews with young people and found that MD was a poor predictor of poor relationship formation