Freud's psychodynamic theory

What is The ID

• The ID is present from birth to 18 months

• Also called ‘the pleasure principle

• The selfish, childish animalistic part of your personality

• Reflects basic or innate drives such as pleasure-seeking behaviour, aggression and sexual impulses

• Unconscious drives and instincts

Having an overdeveloped ID may lead to acting on these urges whenever we felt like which would lead to antisocial and deviant behaviour

This is completely unconscious

What is the Superego

• This develops between the age of 3 & 6

• It is our conscience

• Learnt through interactions with our parents during early socialisation in the family

• We get punished if we go against our superego by making us feel guilty and anxious

• A underdeveloped super ego makes an individual feel overly guilty and remorse. They may feel so much guilt they commit crimes as a punishment to themselves

• A small amount of the superego is conscious it is mostly preconscious

What is The Ego

• Develops between 18 months and 3 yrs

• Called the ‘reality principle’ - it learns from experience that in the real world, out actions have consequences

• The role of the ego is to strike a balance between the demands of the ID and the constraints imposed by the super ego

• Well adjusted person = ego acts in a way that satisfied id’s desires but that it also morally acceptable to the superego.

• Only bits of the ego is conscious

How is Freud’s psychodynamic theory linked to crime?

Freud’s psychoanalytic theory sees anti social behaviour as a cause of abnormal relationships with parents from early socialisation e.g. neglect or excessive strict parenting. This can result in a weak, over-harsh or deviant superego.

A weekly developed superego means the individual will feel less guilt about anti-social action and less inhibition about acting on the id’s urges.

A overdeveloped superego creates deep seated guilty feelings in the individual, who then craves punishment as a release from these feelings. The person may engage in compulsive repeat offending (recidivism) in order to be punished.

Strengths of Freud’s psychodynamic theory

Important consideration of emotion: The psychodynamic approach is the only explanation for offending behaviour that deals with the role of emotional factors. It includes how anxiety and/or feelings of rejection may contribute to offending behaviours.