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Positivism In My Lobotomy

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“The positivist approach assumes that deviance is real, that it exists in the objective experience of the people who commit deviant acts are those who respond to them.” (Conrad, Schneider 1980) Positivism is a perspective on knowledge and reality that assumes human behavior can be studied and explained by utilizing the same principles and practices used to study the natural behavior. Applying the scientific method to the study of human beings. The view that human behavior and attitudes are influenced by forces both internal and external to the individual. Positivism helps discover and accept the science over theology. Also, faith that the scientific method could provide the source of knowledge and the solutions to society’s problem. For the novel My Lobotomy by Howard Dully, it shows a perfect example how these scientists started to study humans like nature. When it comes to understanding …show more content…

Most was derived from the assumption that behaviors such as; criminal and otherwise, are inherited. Which means that criminals are biologically different than non-criminals. One of the earliest explanations was known as Phrenology which was in the mid-1700’s to mid-1800’s, which viewed the shape and size of the brain and skull as determinants of criminal tendencies. The next early positivist explanation for deviance was in 1876, Cesare Lombroso’s theory of “Atavism” and “The Born Criminal” This was the 1st Major Application of this new science to the study of criminals and deviance. Atavism is derived from the word Ancestors. This refers to the reappearance of characteristics in an organism or family after it has been absent from several generations. According to Lombroso, the connection between criminals and “primitive races” are that they have numerous anomalies in the face, skeleton, and various psychic and sensitive functions, so the resemble those primitive faces. (Lombroso

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This theory clearly rules out the effect of inherited or innate factors, and the last is the cognitive theory, which is based on how the perception of an individual is manifested into affecting his or her potential and capability to commit a crime. (Psychological theories of crime) Relating these theories to the case under study, it’s clear that the behaviour can be traced most times to faulty relationships in the family during the first years of

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The Huffington Post States that there are many benefits from keeping a journal, like evoking mindfulness, gaining emotional intelligence, improving communication skills, and healing (Nguyen, 2015). Perhaps Carl Panzram, a notorious serial killer, earned some of these benefits when he journaled throughout his last years on Earth—in jail. Either way, Panzram's writing benefitted sociologists, for they provided insight on the inner mind of a serial killer. Along with that, sociologists have developed many theories on deviance of serial killers.

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Edwin Sutherland argued that there are nine propositions when regarding crime causation. I’m going to cover the first three, and the seventh proposition, which I think is significant. The first proposition states, “Criminal behavior is learned” (Rafter & Brown;2011, Pg.103). The second proposition claims, that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with other people in the process of communication. Thirdly, that through the process of communication, it is learned by an intimate personal group.

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The differential association theory has become the most talked about learning theory of deviance. The theory focuses on how individuals can learn to become criminals. The theory does not have concern for why individuals become criminals. Criminology is the knowledge regarding crime and delinquency as a social issue.

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Positivism, as mentioned by Bryman is extremely difficult to pin down because it is used in a number of ways by authors. One way it is used is through a descriptive category where a philosophical stance can be made note of in research. The second way is through realism, realism is another philosophical position that aims to minister the realm of nature in scientific practice (28). Next key issue is the matter of interpretivism, interpretivism is the viewpoint that the social sciences require a fundamentally different approach from that of natural sciences. The social sciences require a different logic in research because humans work in ways that contrast natural order

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Fifth, the specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable. Sixth, a person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law. Seventh, Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. Eighth, the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning. Lastly, while criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those needs and values, since non-criminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values.

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One of the most debated topics throughout the world is nature versus nurture. When psychologists debate this topic, they are studying what influences a person’s personal development. Some say that a person’s nature influences personal development while others say a person’s nurture influences personal development. A lot of people spend time contemplating which one actually does the influencing but what some do not realize is that, perhaps, both nature and nurture help shape a person’s personal development. One topic that comes up quite often is whether or not a person is born a criminal.

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My paper aims to discuss the three different factors of criminal behaviour, what causes it and why. My essay will examine and focus mainly on the genetic makeup of a person, the environment in which they are raised in and gender differences.

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When Bryman describes ontology view, he introduces the objectivism and constructivism as two antithetical dimensions. (p22) However, Saunders 2009 p.119 advocates that positivism can be understood through both ontology and epistemology views. It raises the confusion whether positivism should belong to ontology view and be connected to objectivism like what Bryman said, or positivism should not be tied to objectivism and can also be comprehended through epistemology view like what Saunders proposed. In 2014, Hanson stated that the root of positivism could be constructive instead of being tied only to objectivism.

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Where external and internal factors play a part and they are fated to be a criminal. The scientific grounds are offenders and people who have not yet offended can be given help, and they can be diagnosed by experts and receive treatment needed to not offend (Cavadino, 2007

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It majorly depends on quantifiable observations which lead to statistical analysis of the data. It has been noted positivism is in accordance

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Phenomenologists do not accept the separation between the subject and the object, which is highlighted in Positivism. Positivism focuses on the separation between the real world and how it is viewed. They argue that is essential to think that the subject has a great relationship with the object, because according to them, it is through the object of the real world that we make sense of our own experiences. The subject refers to the individual world, while the object refers to the real world. Therefore we perceive and interpret our experience when the object enters our consciousness (Langdridge, 2007).

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Further, positivism underpins the central principle of value laden free which is objective. Bryman (2002) explains that positivism postulates objectivism. Despite being objective, positivist is being barraged with criticism as the social world cannot be fully understood following the mechanistic laws of natural sciences. Social life and its dynamics are different in comparison to study chemistry, physics and so

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The positivist believe that science is the only basis for real knowledge. Reason for conducting a positivism is determine laws which can be normalized in explaining the human behavior in the world. Positivist make use of observation and experiment in the study. • ONTOLOGY The Positivism research tradition adherent a realist ontology.

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Positivism can be understood as the idea that the methods of the natural sciences should be used to study human and social matters. In this essay I will be explaining how positivism gave substance to the idea whilst paying particular attention to the role of induction and deduction. Positivism has had some influence in Education and the essay will attempt to outline and critically discuss some of these influences. The knowledge that we acquire is from observations with the aid of our senses.

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