“frustration – induced criminality”

“frustration – induced criminality”

  • Submitted By: bbacken
  • Date Submitted: 11/23/2013 7:41 PM
  • Category: Psychology
  • Words: 338
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 120

Define the term “frustration – induced criminality” and provide some examples.
Frustration induced criminality is the idea that when out behavior is directed at a specific goal and is blocked, arousal increases and the individual experiences a need to reduce it (Bartol, 2014). Individuals “who employ violence to reduce this frustration will, under extreme frustration, become more vigorous than usual, possibly even resorting to murder and other violent actions” (Bartol). A good example of this, is the child who does not have their needs met and becomes frustrated. “The frustration of not having dependency needs met prevents the child from establishing emotional attachments to other people. The individual may thus become resentful, angry, and hostile toward other people in general” (Bartol). “Berkowitz hypothesizes that the more intense and frequent the thwarting’s or frustrations….the more susceptible and sensitive the person is to subsequent frustration” (Bartol).
Situational factors that can influence criminal behavior are fundamental attribution error, self-serving biases, and victimology. “Fundamental attribution error refers to a common human tendency to discount the influence of the situation and explain behavior by referring to the personality of the actor instead” (Bartol). “Self-serving biases is when we attribute good things about ourselves to dispositional factors, and bad things to events and forces outside ourselves” (Bartol). “Victimology is the scientific study of the causes, circumstances, individual characteristics, and social context of becoming a victim of crime” (Bartol).
“Crimes of obedience are defined as an act performed in response to orders from authority that is considered illegal or immoral by the larger community” (Bartol). An example of this would be “a military order to kill indiscriminately or to commit some other atrocity, such as Lieutenant William Calley’s carrying out the massacre of villagers at Mai Lai in the Vietnam...

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