Deck 4: Psychological Positivist Theories

Question 1

Which of the following was a key influence in the emergence of psychological positivism?

A) Early research on moral insanity in psychiatry
B) Twins and adoption studies
C) B. F. Skinner's work on operant conditioning theory
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Psychological positivists assume that:

A) motivation is determined by our inherent drive for survival and sex.
B) the law defines behavior as normal and abnormal.
C) human behavior is determined by factors beyond our control.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The problem focus and scope of psychological positivist theories does not include:

A) individual criminality.
B) crime rates.
C) the criminal personality.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is not a path to criminality described by psychoanalytic theorists?

A) Weak ego resulting in impulsive and hedonistic behavior
B) Weak superego resulting in egocentric and manipulative behavior
C) Weak id resulting in violent and irrational behavior
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 5

Aichhorn's theory of juvenile delinquency suggested:

A) that criminals have undeveloped egos and superegos.
B) that criminals have unregulated ids.
C) parenting plays a prominent role in the formation of a criminal personality.
D) Oedipal complexes and other childhood deprivations may cause criminal behavior.
E) all of the above.

Question 6

Which of the following is true according to Bowlby's attachment theory?

A) Personality development is tied to modeling of the same sex parent.
B) Attachments to significant others and close friends can be as important as attachments to parents.
C) Psychopaths are created by overly attentive parents who spoil their children.
D) Criminals that form attachments to other criminals tend to offend more frequently than criminals who have more prosocial connections.
E) Bonds formed between mothers and their children are most important.

Question 7

Which of the following is true with regard to psychopathy?

A) Psychopathy is one specific category of a psychotic classification in psychiatry.
B) Punishment is less likely to affect a psychopath versus a normal person.
C) Psychopaths are poorly suited to jobs in high finance or politics.
D) Psychopaths represent at least 50% of the prison population.
E) Rewarding psychopaths is the most effective way to control them.

Question 8

Research on psychological positivist theories has indicated that:

A) criminals frequently suffer from maternal deprivation.
B) early life experiences and other developmental factors are very important to understanding involvement in delinquency.
C) thinking patterns are very important to understanding criminality.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.

Question 9

According to Freud's psychoanalytic approach, the ego is the instinctual and primal part of one's personality.

Question 10

Psychological positivists assume that one's personality is stable and that behavior is consistent throughout one's life.

Question 11

Neurotic crime refers to acts in which individuals commit crime with the intention of being caught and punished.

Question 12

Eysenck's theory of the criminal personality combines ideas from operant conditioning theory and hierarchical trait theory.

Question 13

Those diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder compose a small subset of those with psychopathy.

Question 14

Psychopathy is considered to be a mental illness.

Question 15

An important modern practical ramification of psychological positivism can be seen in the emphasis on risk assessment and prediction in the criminal justice system.

Question 16

According to some research, certain personality disorders are associated with specific types of crime.

Question 17

What are the assumptions made by psychological positivist theorists?

Question 18

What kinds of crimes do these theories try to explain?

Question 19

What are the differences between primary, secondary, and dyssocial psychopaths?

Question 20

How have historical and social contexts influenced psychological positivist theories?

Question 21

What are some of the practical approaches and programs suggested by psychological positivist theories?