Access Psychology Hannah Butler

Psychodynamic approach

Fred and Rosemary West Frederick and Rosemary West suffered terrible emotional & sexual abuse in their childhood Could this be what created these 'serial killers‘? Qu. What do you think?

Can anyone use Freud’s theories to explain criminal behaviour? ID ? SUPEREGO ? EGO ?

Psychodynamic Theory Recap on id, ego and superego

Alexander and Healy (1935) Children need to progress from the pleasure principal to the reality principle. Qu. How does the child do this? Freud - The child needs a stable home environment to successfully make this transition. Criminals are those children who do not make this transition.

Development of the superego A harsh superego can develop when a child identifies with a strict parent Leads to feelings of guilt or obsession

Strong superego Usually law abiding Exceptions – desire for sex leads to strong feelings of guilt Guilt = need to be punished Crime = punishment Commit crime – satisfy guilt

Weak superego Lack of loving parent figure during childhood = Selfish Uncaring Uncontrolled aggression No care for self or others = no concern for consequences

Deviant superego Oedipus conflict – boy models on father If father is deviant, the son will imitate

Child abuse & criminal behaviour? Ressler et al (1988) - Out of 36 sex murderers interviewed in the USA 42% were found to have been sexually abused as youngsters Dietz and Warren (1995) found that 76% of the 41 serial rapists that they interviewed were abused when young. Qu. Can you think of any criticisms of the proposal that early childhood experiences influence crime?

Criticisms of psychodynamic theory Females have weaker superego but more male criminals Does not apply to all crime – planned crime is not subconscious