Psychodynamic approach

1. Argued that if the superego is somehow inadequate then criminal behaviour is inevitable because the id is given ‘free rein’.

2. The weak, deviant and over-harsh superego

The inadequate superego

1. What was argued about the superego?

2. What are the 3 types of superego?

the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic state, meaning that the child can not internalise a fully-formed superego, meaning that there is no chance for identification.

This may lead to reckless, guilt-free offending as a result of a lack of moral guidance.

what is the weak superego?

• what behaviour may this lead to and why?

if the superego that the child internalises has immoral or deviant values this would lead to offending behaviour. E.g. a boy that is raised by a criminal father is unlikely to associate guilt with wrongdoing.

what is the deviant superego?

a over-harsh super-ego means that the individual experiences strong feelings of guilt and anxiety - this may drive (unconsciously) the person to commit a crime to ease the superegos need for punishment

what is the over-harsh superego?

subconscious resources used by the ego to protect ourselves from anxiety

what are defence mechanisms?

• Displacement

• Sublimation

• Rationalisation

what are the defence mechanisms that occurs in the criminal mind?

when a strong emotion is shifted from its actual target to a neutral target e.g. fighting in a pub with a stranger if someone is angry at their parents

what is displacement?

when a strong id impulse is expressed in a more socially accepted way e.g. a football fan wanting to murder but instead gets involved in football hooliganism

what is sublimation?

this is when behaviour is explained in a rational way - offenders may use this as a justification for their crimes e.g. someone who kills prostitutes may argue the woman were a threat to society

what is rationalisation?

1. If a child fails to develop a primary attachment in the first few years of their life, then they can develop a particular personality type - affectionless psychopathy

2. This is supported by the 44 Thieves study - out of the 44, 14 of these had the personality type of ‘affectionless psychopathy’ and 12/14 of these had prolonged separation from their mother.

3. As Bowbly’s thieves lacked stable role models and may have internalised guilt (overharsh) or antisocial behaviours (deviant).

Bowlby

1. Affectionless psychopathy

2. Which study is this claim supported by?

3. How does this link to the psychodynamic theory?