Psychological theories of crime

How do personal traits influence criminal activity

Psychologists have been focusing in recent years on developing theories of crime and
criminal behaviour and understanding criminal motivations. One of the psychologies key
research areas has been understanding to what extent personality/personal traits influence
offending patterns and criminal behaviour. This essay will aim to explain some of the
psychological theories of crime. The intersection between personality an criminal behaviour,
focusing on how personal traits influence crime and criminality.

To be able to understand how criminal activity is influenced by personal traits we need to

understand what crime is. According to Oxford Sociology Dictionary (2015) crime is
described as the following an offence which goes beyond the personal and into the public
sphere, breaking prohibitory rules or laws, to which legitimate punishments or sanctions are
attached, and which requires the intervention of a public authority (the state or a local
body).However, the definition of crime is arguably affected by changes of moral and ethical
perceptions over time. What in the past was considered a crime might not be seen as such
by society in the present day. For this reason, a legal definition of crime is not enough.
Societys understanding and definition of crime is linked to its social constructs, accepted
morals, beliefs and religion (Oxford Sociology Dictionary, 2015). This suggests that
perceptions of crime can change across both time and geographical space, and that an
understanding of criminal activity must take the context of crime into account.

In the mid-nineteenth century, a biological interpretation or criminal activity came from the
Italian School of Criminology. The Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso (1961) argued that
criminality was a biological trait active in some human beings. Lombroso developed the idea
that an individual could deviate from social norms because of their biological proclivity.
Lombrosos biological interpretation supports the idea that biology or a biological factor can
have influence on a persons criminal activity. The question remains as to where, is the
biology that makes that makes us criminals. Alternatively, where the traits people experience
during their lives that lead them to commit a criminal offence

To get a step closer in to understanding this problem criminologists and psychologist came
with the Psychological Theory of Crime. This psychological idea is formed of the three major
theories. The first theory is centered on the notion that individuals early childhood
experience/ traits can influences his or hers future decision in to committing an act of crime.
The Psychodynamic Theory suggests that the unconscious mental processes can affect in
early childhood controls personality of an individual. Freud (1954) argued that are three
elements of structure to develop in the human personality. The first structure what is
developing in the human brain is the ID. The Id is the primitive and instinctual part of the
mind what is composed of hidden memories. In Id are established the sexual and the
aggressive drives. Sigmund Freud argues that the ID consists of all the biological
components of personality at birth. It is suggested by Freud that the ID is the impulsive part
of our psyche what is responsible to deal with the instincts. The Id acts according to the
pleasure principle where all your need should be obtained immediately. The Id is the part of
the human psychological structure that is looking to avoid pain.( Freud, S. and Bonaparte, P.M.,
1954)

The second element of a human personality structure to develop is the EGO. The ego is
that part of the id which has been modified by the direct influence of the external
world(Freud, and Strachey,1961,p.25). Freud argues that the ego is developing in order to
be the mediator between the id and the external world. Freud (1961)argues that the ego
works by reason and operates according to the reality principle in order to satisfy the IDs
demands. The ego is suspending the Id pleasure principle in favor of the reality principle. In
addition, Freud argues that the ego decides how to behave . Where the Id h seeks for
pleasure and aims to avoid pain. Freud also argues that the ego is concern to obtain
pleasure, where the ego we cannot distinguish between right or wrong.

In Freuds theory, the last component of human personality to develop is de super ego.
Freud suggests that, the super ego begins to emerge around the age of five. However the
superego is the aspect of the personality that contains what we acquire from the parents, the
ideas and the moral standards. In his theory, we can see that the superegos function is to
control the id and that superego causes feelings of guilt

Overall Freud trough his theory disapproves the biological theory believes of the Italian
School where individuals are born with criminal genes. In Freuds view people are born the
same and they gain the moral standards and views of the society from parents. .( Freud, and
Strachey,1961,)

The second component of the psychological theory is the behavioral theory. The behavioral
theory argues that the human behavior is developing trough-learning experiences. Albert
Bandura(1969) argues that crimes is a learned response to a life situation. Bandura suggests
that the individuals are not born violent, but in fact, they are learning through a process of
observation called imitation. In other words, Bandura argues that if a child is born in a violent
environment he will learn to be violent from the parents. If the child is expose to a criminal
environment, through his experiences he is most likely to become a criminal or to perceive
crime in a different manner.

Through his behavioral theory, Alberto Bandura takes a sept closer in to understanding how
can personal trait influence criminal activity. Through his theory Bandura

at this point we know that we are not born criminals, as we are all born the same. Through
the environment and social learning, we learn to have an inclination to become violent or
criminals from family, tv, etc .Is what we learn? It is the environment we are born in deciding
our fate?

The third point of the psychological theory is the cognitive theory, this is based on the idea
that an individuals perception and how he/she manifests affects the potential in to
committing crime. The cognitive theory tries to understand how criminals perceive the world
around them. Bandura argues that the individuals are affected by the dynamic of the
surrounding environment. However in the same time, a person has the liberty to choose their
decision-making and how to behave is society. Bandura also believes that the way a person
acts is maintained through experience or anticipated consequences more than immediate
consequences. I deductible that most likely a person who had a criminal experience where
the result was positive in obtaining what he desire he will commit a crime again. Where if the
crime result was negative in a form of punishment the person most likely to not offend again.

From the psychological theory, Alberto Bandura develops Freuds theory even further.
Bandura agrees with Freud vision about the human personality. However, he also argues
that in the end the decision on how to react in certain situations or how to behave is society
is completely up to the individual. Is understandable that personal trait at early ages, social
environment and family can have a significant impact in our criminal inclination but is not
certain.

The question remain, the idea of how can a person be more likely to commit a crime
through his personal traits. And how can personal trait influence our criminal activity . I think
that in the end it all comes down to ration, personal traits can influence our criminal activity
but I think that the way we rationally interpret our personal traits it really influences the
course of our action.
Clarke, R.V. and Cornish(1982) argue that criminal behaviour is not different from non-
criminal behaviour, and is not determined by the psychological nor biological factor. In their
Rational Choice Theory, they believe that people voluntary chose to committee crime and
they see crime being as a way to obtain what they want in a faster manner and to be more
rewarding than non-criminal behaviour. Wilson & Herrnstein argue that crime is due to
personality traits, and that personal trait inclines a person to commit crimes. No matter what
people choose to do ( be a criminal or obey the law) ,they do it because they prefer
it( Crime human nature 1940 p43.). They argue that when people choose to do a crime, the
person is not consciously deliberating about what to do. It is also suggested that a person
can choose between committing and not a crime. In addition, the consequences in their
mind consists in rewards and punishment. It is suggested that some people are criminals by
opportunity at certain point if they see the opportunity of committing a crime without being
punished most people will ignore their ration in order to fulfil quick gains. In the end the
rational choice theory suggest that a person are rational enough to judge the benefits of the
criminal and non-criminal behavior. Is suggested that crime occurs when someone believes
that a criminal action has better / faster benefits at lower costs than the non-criminal
behavior.( Clarke, R.V. and Cornish, D.B., 1985)

At this point we have a small view/ understanding of the biological theory of crime , the
psychological theory of crime and the behavioral theory

Bibliography

Bandura, A., 1969. Social-learning theory of identificatory processes. Handbook of socialization

theory and research, 213, p.262.

Wolfgang, M.E., 1961. Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909). The journal of
criminal law, criminology, and police science, 52(4), pp.361-391.

Clarke, R.V. and Cornish, D.B., 1985. Modeling offenders' decisions: A framework for research and
policy. Crime and justice, 6, pp.147-185.

Freud, S. and Bonaparte, P.M., 1954. The origins of psychoanalysis (Vol. 216). London: Imago.
Freud, S. and Strachey, J., 1961. Beyond the Pleasure Principle: Transl. and Newly Ed. by James
Strachey. Hogarth Press.

Tosti, G., 1897. The sociological theories of Gabriel Tarde. Political Science Quarterly, 12(3), pp.490-
511.

Piaget, J., 1964. Part I: Cognitive development in children: Piaget development and learning. Journal
of research in science teaching, 2(3), pp.176-186.

Knepper, P., 2001. Explaining criminal conduct: Theories and systems in criminology. Carolina
Academic Press.

Wilson, J.Q. and Herrnstein, R.J., 1998. Crime human nature: The definitive study of the causes of
crime. Simon and Schuster.

Citations

Freud, S. and Strachey, J., 1961. Beyond the Pleasure Principle: Transl. and Newly Ed. by James
Strachey. Hogarth Press.

http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199533008.001.0001/acref-
9780199533008-e-441?rskey=0dDqni&result=441)