Psychodynamic (Psych Explanations)

Question 1

What is the inadequate Superego?

Answer 1

• Superego forms at the end of the phallic stage and works on the morality principle and punishes the ego through guilt
• Blackburn argues if the superego is inadequate offending behaviour is inevitable as ID has free rein
• The weak superego: same gender parent is absent during phallic stage child cannot internalise a full superego
• The Deviant Superego: if internalised superego has immoral values criminal behaviour is likely
• The over-harsh superego: an excessively punitive parenting style leads to over harsh superego who is crippled by guilt and this unconsciously guides them to crime to satisfy the superegos overwhelming need for punishment

Question 2

What is the role of emotion?

Answer 2

• effect of inadequate superego is it allows primitive demands (ID) to guide moral behaviour

Question 3

How is the theory of maternal deprivation linked to offending behaviour?

Answer 3

• ability to form relationships in adulthood is dependant on the child forming a warm, continuous relationship with mother figure
• A consequence of maternal deprivation is development of affectionless psychopathy (lack of guilt and empathy for others)
• these people are likely to engage in offending behaviour

Question 4

How is Bowlby’s thieves study relevant?

Answer 4

• 44 juvenile thieves and their families whom Bowlby interviewed
• found 14 have affectionless psychopathy and of those 14 12 has experienced prolonged separation from mothers at a young age

Question 5

What research supports the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 5

• Goreta conducted Freudian style analysis of 10 offenders referred for psychiatric treatment.
• All had disturbances in superego formation. Unconscious feelings of guilt and need for self-punishment
• Goreta explained this as an overharsh superego

Question 6

What is an alpha biasy limitation of this approach?

Answer 6

• Gender biased
• girls have a superego
• girls should offend more than men and yet it is the opposite (in UK 20 times more men are in prison then women)
• Decreases validity of Freuds theory as it is prone to inaccuracy due to Freud ultimately being a product of the patriarchal society in which he lived

Question 7

What is a limitation regarding Bowlbys theory?

Answer 7

• Lewis analyses data from interview with 500 young people and found maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships in adolescence
• This relationship is not causal in any way and prone to extraneous variables