What psychological factors explain delinquent acts?

Answer 1

It really depends which theory of crime you are coming from.

I created some notes as part of a forensic psychology unit in my psychology degree. (as summarised from Wrightsman et al, 2002 "Chapter five: Theories of crime", in Psychology and the legal System 5th ed. Wadsworth.)

Hope you find it useful.

THEORIES of CRIME as EXPLANATIONS of CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR

Sociological theories of crime:environmentalism

1. Structural explanations

ie dysfunctional social arrangements thwart people from legitimate attainments and result in them offending

1. Theory of differential opportunity, Cloward & Ohlin 1960 - anomie; frustration-aggression

2. Reaction formation,Cohen 1955 - negativistic crime; malicious crime

3. Rational crime, Nettler 1974 - 'golden opportunity':

easy targets, just part of business, preferred livelihood, crime to distribute

2. Subcultural explanations

ie crime is the product of subcultural deviation from the agreed-on norms that underlie the criminal law

1. Theory of focal concerns, Miller 1958 - adherence to 6 lower class traditions/values

Biological theories of crime:individualismwith acknowledged socio-enviro contributions

1. Constitutional theories

1. Somatic typology, Sheldon 1942 - mesomorphs : more aggressive, vigorous, bold, lack control

2. Mesomorphy + unpredictable/harsh parenting- Olweus 1995

2. Genetic theories

five possible inherited factors increasing predisposition to criminal behaviour:

1. constitutional abnormalities

2. neuropsychological abnormalities - abnormal EEG; RH limbic system; PFCx (exec control, VIQ)

3. autonomic nervous system differences - ↓ANS arousal

4. physiological differences - ↑testosterone,↑insulin, ↓serotonin

5. personality & temperament - undercontrol, unfriendliness, irritability, low empathy, easy frustration

Psychological theories of crime:individualism

1. Psychoanalytic theories of crime

1. Weak ego & superego, strong id, Freud -guilt due to unresolved Oedipal crisis

2. Inability to delay gratification, Alexander 1935

behaviour not aligned with reality principle to delay gratification, family & social forces contribute

3. Attachment Theory, Bowlby 1949

ie disruptions to maternal attachment or parental rejection leads to delinquency & repetitive crime

2. Criminal thinking patterns, Yochelsonn & Samenow 1976

criminals have fundamentally non-normative thinking patterns

reject sociological, environmental, & psychoanalytic explanations

3. Personality defect (psychopathy)

ie 'criminal type':certain traits distinguish delinquents from non-offenders, caused by:

1. Cortical Immaturity, Hare 1984

2. Immunity to social cues governing behaviour, Eysenck 1964

slower CC learning due to faulty acquisition and rapid extinction of fear & avoidance responses

3. Family Dysfunction, Buss 1966

cold distant detached parent + inconsistent rewards/punishment

Social-psychological theories of crime:environmental individualism

1. Control theories ie people behave antisocially unless they learn not to (inner controls & external constraints)

1. Social Control Model, Hirschi 1969, 1978

2. Containment Theory, Reckless, 1967

3. ENP theory, Eysenck, 1964 (related to Containment theory)

↑E & N traits → poor CC → inadequate socialisation → faulty conscience → ↑risk of criminality

2. Learning theories ie individuals directly acquire specific criminal behav thru different forms of learning

1. Differential association approach, Sutherland, 1947

socialisation into group conductive of crime

3. The social-learning perspective

1. Social Learning Theory, Bandura 1986

differential reinforcement + cognitive factors + vicarious learning (via modelling)

2. Constitutional-learning Theory, Wilson & Herrnstein

individual differences influence gain-loss ratio, similar to Rational Choice theory

Answer 2

Psychological factors that may explain delinquent acts include impulsivity, a lack of empathy, a history of trauma or abuse, low self-control, and poor decision-making skills. These factors can influence an individual's ability to regulate their emotions and behavior, leading to engagement in delinquent behavior as a way of coping with underlying issues. It is important to consider a combination of individual, environmental, and social factors when understanding delinquency.