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Summary THE PREDESTINED ACTOR MODEL
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Summary of 30 pages for the course CMY3701 - The Explanation of Crime at Unisa (IN-DEPT SUMMARY)
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1THEME 2
THE PREDESTINED ACTOR MODEL
FOUNDATION: Positivist School (individual positivism)
ATTRIBUTES:
Rejection of the legal definition of crime
Treatment should fit the offender
Doctrine of determinism
Scientific methodology
FORMULATIONS OF PREDESTINED ACTOR MODEL:
Biological positivism (Italian school and biosocial explanation)
Psychological positivism (psychodynamic/ analytic ; behavioural and cognitive)
KEY CONCEPTS
BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE
focuses primarily on overt behaviour, its observable antecedents and consequences, rather
than upon internal processes.
Behaviourists stress social learning and behaviour modelling as the key to criminality
BIOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
claims that human beings commit crime because of factors internal to the physical body
over which they have little or no control
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
is a learned response to a stimulus
COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE
is explicitly concerned with mental processes, such as perception, memory, decision-
making and problem-solving
Cognitive theorists, therefore, analyse human perception and how it affects behaviour
CONDITIONING
is the process by which associations are learnt between our actions and the consequences
of our actions
DENIAL
is simply discounting the existence of threatening impulses.
For example, a person with homosexual tendencies may vehemently deny ever feeling any
physical attraction to a person of the same sex
DETERMINISM
,2
means that factors outside the individual’s control (be they biological, psychological,
sociological, or some combination) push that individual into criminal behaviour.
From this perspective, crime does not result from choice, or rational decision-making, but
from sheer force of circumstance
DISPLACEMENT
is deflecting an impulse from its original target to a less threatening one. Anger at one’s
boss may be expressed through hostility to a shop assistant, a family member, or even the
dog
OPERANT CONDITIONING
is associated with social learning theory which states that behaviour is shaped by the
consequences that follow the act
PERSONALITY
is a term used to describe an individual’s temperamental and emotional attributes that are
relatively consistent and that will influence his or her behaviour
PHRENOLOGY
theory of behaviour is based on the belief that the exterior of the skull corresponds to the
interior and to the brain’s conformation.
Phrenologists claim that a propensity towards certain types of behaviour may be discovered
by examining the bumps on the head
POSITIVIST CRIMINOLOGY
is an approach to the study of crime that adopts a deterministic approach; in other words,
offenders are regarded as being propelled into committing criminal acts by forces
(biological, psychological, or sociological) over which they have no control.
Common to all forms of positivist criminology is the belief that society is based on
consensual values and offenders should be treated rather than punished for their actions.
Positivists also insist that theories that purport to explain the ‘‘why?’’ of crime should be
based on scientific analysis
PSYCHODYNAMIC or PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVE
takes the view that people have a complex inner mental life, much of which takes place at
an unconscious level, and which holds the key to understanding behaviour.
For example, dreams and emotional problems can have deeper meanings which can be
uncovered by the analyst
Psychoanalysts focus on early childhood experience and its effect on personality
PSYCHOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
focuses on the mind of the criminal.
These theorists view crime as an action that is symptomatic of internal neurological
disorders or deeply hidden personality disturbances within an individual.
, 3
Psychological positivism includes the study of individual characteristics, which include
personality, reasoning, thought, intelligence, learning, perception, imagination, memory and
creativity
REPRESSION
means unconsciously ‘‘pushing under’’ threatening memories, urges, or ideas from
conscious awareness.
A person may experience memory loss in the case of highly traumatic events
SOCIOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
is a theoretical approach within criminology that emphasises the social determinants of
behaviour (e.g. the effects of wealth and social class), and that pays little regard to
individual decision-making or choice
SUBLIMATION
is converting unacceptable impulses by acting in a way that opposes them.
For example, a sexual interest in a married friend might take the appearance of strong
dislike instead
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