Trait Theories:Trait Theories:PsychologicalPsychological

SOC 112SOC 112Chapter 5Chapter 5

Part 17Part 17

Early TheoriesEarly Theories1.1. Criminal behaviorCriminal behavior

- originates primarily in personality - originates primarily in personality - not from environmental / situational factors- not from environmental / situational factors

a. a. Early psychologistsEarly psychologists - intelligence trait- intelligence trait - explain criminal behavior- explain criminal behavior - inherited- inherited

b. b. Family studiesFamily studies - source of data- source of data

Early, cont.Early, cont. - cause: mental retardation- cause: mental retardation

c. “c. “Demonology”Demonology” - most popular- most popular

(1) (1) Evil spiritsEvil spirits - spirits eliminated- spirits eliminated

(2) (2) Medieval timesMedieval times - “- “trephinningtrephinning”” - let evil spirits escape- let evil spirits escape

Early, cont.Early, cont. (3) “(3) “ExorcismExorcism””

- drinking concoctions- drinking concoctions- priest / prophet praying- priest / prophet praying- strange noises- strange noises

(4) (4) Insult spiritsInsult spirits- body unpleasant- body unpleasant

(5) (5) Devil / witchcraftDevil / witchcraft (15 (15thth century) century)- own free will- own free will- imposed death- imposed death

Early, cont.Early, cont. c. c. 1818thth century century

- began developing knowledge- began developing knowledge - human anatomy / medicine / neurology /- human anatomy / medicine / neurology /

physiology / chemistryphysiology / chemistry

(1) (1) Time of discoveryTime of discovery - physical illnesses- physical illnesses - mental illnesses- mental illnesses

(2) (2) Replaced demonologyReplaced demonology - theory of “- theory of “causationcausation” (1915)” (1915)

Early, cont.Early, cont.d. d. 2020thth century century - psychological problems- psychological problems - new viewpoint- new viewpoint - study of criminality- study of criminality

(1) (1) Psychoanalysis of the dayPsychoanalysis of the day - concept of the unconscious- concept of the unconscious - probe the personality- probe the personality

(2) (2) Criminal tendenciesCriminal tendencies

- learn to control (socialization)- learn to control (socialization)

Early, cont.Early, cont. (3) (3) Improperly socializedImproperly socialized

- no abilities to control- no abilities to control - acts out - acts out - projects inward- projects inward

3.3. Psychology / psychiatric approachesPsychology / psychiatric approaches- criminal behavior = personalities- criminal behavior = personalities

a. a. PsychiatryPsychiatry - from medical doctors- from medical doctors - mental disease problems- mental disease problems

Psychiatry, cont.Psychiatry, cont.b. b. DefinedDefined::

““A field of medicine that specializes in theA field of medicine that specializes in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, andunderstanding, diagnosis, treatment, and

prevention of mental problems”prevention of mental problems” - divided into two categories:- divided into two categories:

(1) (1) OrganicOrganic - traced to physical problem- traced to physical problem - head injury / distorted vision / disease- head injury / distorted vision / disease

(2) (2) FunctionalFunctional

Psychiatry, cont.Psychiatry, cont. - strange behavior- strange behavior

- no known organic problem- no known organic problem

4.4. PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis- branch of psychiatry- branch of psychiatry- Sigmund Freud’s theories- Sigmund Freud’s theories- particular treatment method - particular treatment method

a. a. Recent developmentRecent development - Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)- Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) - Alfred Adler (1870 - 1937- Alfred Adler (1870 - 1937

Approach, cont.Approach, cont. - Carl Jung (1875 – 1961)- Carl Jung (1875 – 1961)

b. Psychological approachesb. Psychological approaches - not only mental aspect- not only mental aspect - behavioral characteristics- behavioral characteristics

(1) Various approaches(1) Various approaches - connecting themes- connecting themes - unique personality- unique personality

(2) To be understood: case study(2) To be understood: case study

Approach, cont.Approach, cont.c. c. Applied to crime causationApplied to crime causation - emotional problem / mental disorder- emotional problem / mental disorder - sociopathic personality / thinking patterns- sociopathic personality / thinking patterns

5.5. Psychoanalytic theoriesPsychoanalytic theories- Sigmund Freud- Sigmund Freud

a. a. BackgroundBackground - Friedberg, Moravia / Jewish parents- Friedberg, Moravia / Jewish parents - University of Vienna (1881)- University of Vienna (1881) - physiology: Vienna General Hospital- physiology: Vienna General Hospital

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - neuropathology professor: medical school- neuropathology professor: medical school - controversial / influential person- controversial / influential person

b. b. Not discuss criminal behaviorNot discuss criminal behavior - want to be caught- want to be caught - punished (own worst)- punished (own worst)

(1) (1) Focused on pathologicalFocused on pathological - not healthy part- not healthy part

(2) (2) Aggression / violenceAggression / violence = instinct = instinct

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. (3) (3) Death wishDeath wish

- source of “aggressive impulses”- source of “aggressive impulses”

- expressed:- expressed:

(a) (a) DirectlyDirectly – injure / kill ourselves – injure / kill ourselves

(b) (b) IndirectlyIndirectly – hunting animals – hunting animals

(c) (c) SublimatedSublimated: injure others: injure others

- sadomasochism - sadomasochism

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. (4) (4) Marquis de SadeMarquis de Sade (French aristocrat) (French aristocrat)

- sadistic: enjoys inflicting pain- sadistic: enjoys inflicting pain

(5) (5) Sacher MasochSacher Masoch (Polish baron) (Polish baron)- masochist: enjoys receiving pain- masochist: enjoys receiving pain

c. c. Basis of criminal activityBasis of criminal activity - “- “guiltguilt””

(1) (1) Oedipus conflictOedipus conflict

- kill father / marry mother - kill father / marry mother

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - hidden desire / similar behavior- hidden desire / similar behavior

- “- “ElectraElectra” complex” complex

(2) (2) Freudian premiseFreudian premise::- incest: basic human desire- incest: basic human desire

6.6. Basis of the personalityBasis of the personality- “- “selfself””- three components:- three components:

a. a. IdId

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - primary / rash / impulsive part- primary / rash / impulsive part

- pleasure / pain principle- pleasure / pain principle

- hedonistic: unresponsible / insensitive- hedonistic: unresponsible / insensitive

- libido: sexual energy- libido: sexual energy

b. b. EgoEgo

- sensible / responsible- sensible / responsible

- reality principle- reality principle

- external situation / adjusts- external situation / adjusts

- represses unacceptable into unconscious- represses unacceptable into unconscious

Freud, cont.Freud, cont.c. c. SuperegoSuperego - “- “conscienceconscience”” - pride / shame / guilt- pride / shame / guilt - moral faculty / sets standards- moral faculty / sets standards

d. d. Three levels of the mindThree levels of the mind::

(1) (1) UnconsciousUnconscious - not experienced as thoughts- not experienced as thoughts

(2) (2) PreconsciousPreconscious

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - memories- memories

(3) (3) ConsciousConscious - daily thoughts - daily thoughts

7.7. Human development phasesHuman development phases- stages humans go through- stages humans go through

a. a. OralOral (first stage) (first stage) - infancy - infancy - first year of life- first year of life

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - child antisocial- child antisocial

- primitive urges- primitive urges- sadistic / cannibalistic- sadistic / cannibalistic

b. b. AnalAnal (second) (second) - until 3 years old- until 3 years old - stubborn / spiteful / cruel- stubborn / spiteful / cruel

c. c. PhallicPhallic - genitals major focus- genitals major focus - until age 6- until age 6

Freud, cont.Freud, cont.d. Latencyd. Latency

- age 6 to puberty (12)- age 6 to puberty (12)

- no urges- no urges

e. e. NeophallicNeophallic

- preteen- preteen

- obsessed: genitals / sex / oral-anal urges- obsessed: genitals / sex / oral-anal urges

Invented psychoanalysis techniqueInvented psychoanalysis technique

- caused by traumatic experiences - caused by traumatic experiences

Freud, cont.Freud, cont. - early childhood- early childhood

- not consciously aware of- not consciously aware of

a. a. “Free association”“Free association”

- patient relaxed- patient relaxed

- whatever came to mind- whatever came to mind

b. b. Explored associationsExplored associations

- reconstruct earlier events- reconstruct earlier events

- consciousness- consciousness