Transcript Psychology and Criminality

Psychological Traits
SOC 112
Part 2
Criminality
1.
Sociological theories
- crime rates of groups
- do not look at individual
a. Cannot explain:
- poor area / abuse / discord / drop-out
- resists crime
(1) Individual differences
- psychologists / biologists
- finding out reasons
Criminality, cont.
(2) Affluent neighborhood
- two parent family
- tries to kill president
b. Sociologists: not individual differences
- psychologists / biologists: interested
(1) Different theories: not competing
- study same act / status / character
Criminality, cont.
c. To understand crime
- more than one perspective
(1) Sociological
- ignores personality / human biology
(2) Psychological
- focuses on individual
- not interactions

Individual differences
Criminality, cont.
-
defective conscience
emotional immaturity
inadequate childhood socialization
maternal deprivation
poor mental development
a. What do criminal psychologist study?
- why people commit crimes
- how aggression learned
- personal conditions
Criminality, cont.
- abused
b. Personality factors
- introverted / pessimist / smart / deviant
c. Mental disorders associated
- head injury
- serious illness
- lead paint
Psychological Development
1.
Founder of psychoanalysis
- Sigmund Freud
- researchers referred to
a. Criminality may result from:
- overactive superego / conscience
(1) Unbearable guilt
- committed crimes
- to be apprehended / punished
- then, guilt relieved
Psychological, cont.
b. Example: Richard
- anger: father’s death / mother’s abandon
- unconscious feelings of guilt
- once punished: relieved
(1) Persistent criminal activity
- conscience: not too strong / too weak
- impulses of the Id
(2) Superego
- internalized parental image
Psychological, cont.
- child assumes attitude / moral value
- without = uncontrolled Id
- leads to delinquency
(2) Analysts view (delinquents)
- unable to give up instant pleasure
2.
Psychoanalytical approach
- more prominent explanation
- normal / asocial functioning
- three basic principles:
Psychoanalytical, cont.
a. Actions / behaviors of adult
- childhood development
- occurred as a child
b. Behavior / unconscious motives: intertwined
- interaction must be unraveled
- understand criminality
c. Criminality
- psychological conflict
Psychological Theories
1.
Freudian theory: unconscious
- others: conscious
a. Classical conditioning
- passive person
- learns what to expect
(1) Conditioned to respond
- Pavlov
- receive pleasure (food / praise)
- expect reward / continue action
Theories, cont.
b. Operant conditioning (B.F. Skinner)
- foremost behavioral theory
- rewards / punishment = control
- reinforce / curtail behaviors
- associate with own behavior
(1) Become criminal
- association with act
- receive encouragement
- reinforces behavior
- see you as / therefore, I am
Theories, cont.
3.
Cognitive theory
- mental processes
- perceive the world
a. Cognitive development theory
- organize thoughts into rules / laws
- way organized: criminal / noncriminal
(1) Moral vs. legal reasoning (thinking)
- organize thoughts = moral
- apply to law = legal
Theories, cont.
b. Jean Piaget
- stages in development
- reason through
c. Rules: sacred / immutable
- what’s considered right
- guide actions
d. Rules: product of humans
- taught rules
- must understand to apply
Theories, cont.
4.
Lawrence Kohlberg
- pioneered moral development
a. Categorized into 6 stages
(1) Stage 1: obedience / punishment
- do what you are told
- authority figure
(2) Stage 2: right behavior
Theories, cont.
- acting in one’s own interest
- “selflessness”
(3) Stage 3: Approval of others
- what’s expected
(4) Stage 4: Abide by law
- obligation of duty
(5) Stage 5: social mutuality
- genuine interest = welfare of others
Theories, cont.
(6) Stage 6: Respect
- universal principles
- individual conscience
b. Three levels of reasoning
(1) Pre-conventional
- from those around us
- necessary rules
- leave level 9 to 11 years
Theories, cont.
- they think: “If I steal, what are my
chances of getting caught and being
punished?”
(2) Conventional
- apply moral thinking
- adopt values / rules to uphold
- criminal: not beyond preconventional
- they think: “It is illegal to steal and
therefore I should not steal under any
circumstances.”
Theories, cont.
(3) Post-conventional
- accepted moral reasoning
- apply it = sense of beliefs
- human rights / moral principles / duty
- they think: “One must live within the
law, but certain ethical principles do
supersede the written law.”
- after the age of 20
c. Delinquents / criminals
- preconventional level (Kohlberg)
Theories, cont.
d. Many believe matter of choice
- choose behavior
(1) US Penitentiary, Leavenworth, KS
- environmental factors
- limit one’s choice
- but do not determine
(2) Way people think
- choices made
- root cause: thought / choice
Theories, cont.
(3) Criminals: confined forever
- change way of thinking
5.
Moral Development Theory
- psychometry
- supersensory powers of unconscious
- links intelligence / crime
- personality theory
a. Success in life
- influenced by intelligence
Theories, cont.
- more intelligent / more successful
- technology / science / legal / financial
b. Educational levels
- lower inner cities / rural South
- mental disorders
- crime population
(1) Mental disorder approach
- lower intelligence
- mental illness/crime
Theories, cont.
(2) Poor / inner city youth
- no educational advantage
- little family interaction
- criminal behavior
c. National Institute of Justice
- mental disorders: higher among criminals
- not necessarily cause crime
(1) Mental disorders / crime
- demographic factors
Theories, cont.
- environment / family / age / gender/ race
peer group
6.
Personality theory
- emotional conflict / personality deviations
- characterizes many criminals
a. Different disorders
- paranoid / schizoid / dependent / atypical
/ avoidant / narcissistic / compulsive /
passive-aggressive
Theories, cont.
b. Psychopthic personality disorder
- antisocial/ sociopathic behavior
- used synonymously
- chronic law violator
- lack: guilt feelings / outward charm /
high intelligence
(1) Sociopath
- inability to empathize
- learn from experience
- disregard others rights
Theories, cont.
(2) Disregard: before age 15
- continues into adult life
- diminish: age 30
(3) Symptoms
- lying / stealing / fighting / truancy
- sexual behavior / alcohol-drug use
- failure: hold job / stable marriage
c. High risk: deviant behavior
- 3% men / 1% women
Theories, cont.
(1) No remorse
- do not learn
- imprisonment: no impact
(2) Explain disorder:
- biological, psychological, sociological
d. Criminal personality
- different frame: reference / language
- treat: change thinking
Theories, cont.
(1) Studies show:
- preoccupied: fear / death
- put down / ridiculed / worthless
- better than others
- unique
- fantasies: triumph / power / control
7.
Psychoanalytical: juvenile delinquency
- C.J. Schoenfield
- Freud’s theories
- founder
Theories, cont.
a. Id = primary / rash / impulsive
- pleasure / pain
- hedonistic
b. Delinquents
- defective superego
- unconscious: feelings of guilt
- crimes: to be punished
c. Inability to control
- deficiency: ego / superego development
Theories, cont.
(1) Faulty development
- little capacity to repress
- pleasure / gratification
- defective superego
(2) Dominated by Id
- become antisocial
- disturbed ego development
- first 3 years
d. Overdeveloped superego
Theories, cont.
- neurotic
- low self-esteem / excessive anxiety /
wide mood swings
(1) Psychoanalysts
- normal: control drives
- socially acceptable outlets
(2) Criminal
- cannot control
Theories, cont.
8.
Psychological causation
- error in thinking / new cause
- any behavior / excused
a. “Fundamental psycholegal error”
- attorneys use
- legal defenses
(1) Twinkie defense
(2) Hypoglycemia
Theories, cont.
(3) PMS
(4) Television intoxication
(5) XYY chromosomal defense