NCJ Number
55038
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A DISCUSSION OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF VIOLENT AND OTHER ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR FOCUSES ON THE STAGES OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
Abstract
THE CONCEPTS OF VIOLENCE, POWER, FEAR, AGGRESSION, HOSTILITY, MORALITY, EGO, AND SUPEREGO ARE DISCUSSED. OBSERVATIONS IN CLINICAL PRACTICE THAT BEAR UPON VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY AT LARGE ARE NOTED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, WHILE THE ROLE OF THE SUPEREGO--THE PART OF THE PSYCHE THAT MEDIATES BETWEEN MORAL VALUES AND THE DRIVES OF THE ID--IN DEVELOPING AN INDIVIDUAL'S CONTROL APPARATUS SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED, THE EGO--THE PART OF THE PSYCHE THAT EXPERIENCES AND REACTS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD-IS A MORE RELIABLE FOCUS FOR CLINICIANS AND POLICYMAKERS ALIKE. FIVE PHASES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT--ANOMOUS, PHOBONOMOUS, HETERONOMOUS, SOCIONOMOUS, AND AUTONOMOUS-ARE DEFINED, AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE ARE DISCUSSED. DURING THE EARLIEST PHASE, THE CHILD FOLLOWS THE ID AND MUST BE RESTRAINED FROM WITHOUT. THE PHOBONOMOUS PHASE SEES THE BEGINNINGS OF THE EGO, WITH THE CHILD REFRAINING FROM HURTING OTHERS OUT OF A FEAR OF RETALIATION AND DEFEAT. BASED ON A COMBINATION OF FEAR AND LOVE, THE SUPEREGO EMERGES IN THE HETERONOMOUS PHASE, DURING WHICH THE CHILD BEGINS TO LEARN SELF-RESTRAINT AND A HIGHER MORALITY BY OBSERVING HIS OR HER PARENTS AND ACCEPTING THEIR VALUES AND REGULATIONS. DURING THE SOCIONOMOUS PHASE THE CHILD LEARNS GIVE-AND-TAKE RELATIONS, IDENTIFIES WITH THE PEER GROUP, AND WILLINGLY ACCEPTS THE GROUP'S NORMS. WITH AUTONOMY COMES RESPONSIBILITY AND FREEDOM FROM GROUP PRESSURE. AT THE HIGHEST POINT OF DEVELOPMENT, THE INDIVIDUAL IS STRONG, ABLE TO ENJOY GIVING MORE THAN TAKING, AND RELIANT ON RULES IMPOSED FROM WITHIN. THIS DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS IS VIEWED AS THE KEY TO PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE. THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PARENTS IN FACILITATING THE PROCESS IS EMPHASIZED. (LKM)