Paedophilia Theory

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For a behaviour or action to be labelled as deviant, it will need to violate a social rule or norm, and invoke a negative reaction in the community (Goode 2014). The behaviour associated with paedophilia invokes a negative reaction in majority of Western cultures, as it disregards the accepted structures of a relationships and sexual orientation. For the purpose of this project, this behaviour was observed through a documentary called Danielův svĕt (2014), which follows the life of a self-proclaimed exclusive paedophile and his struggle in the community. Currently, there are various theories to explain the cause of the behaviour but as each theory is unable to give a full explanation; there is no definitive answer. ADD MORE Paedophilia is a subcategory of paraphilia, a condition where individuals experience sexual desires or actions; that are considered as “abnormal” (SOURCE). The understanding of what paedophilia or a paedophile is, comes from the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. The manual describes the behaviour to consist of an individual who is older than the age of 16, and who has had recurring sexual fantasies and desires directed at prepubescent …show more content…

Biological Theories state that individuals can have certain genetic factors that influence their behaviour and can lead to them committing deviant and criminal acts (SOURCE). Recent studies have suggested that paedophiles suffer from brain abnormalities and a reduction of grey and white brain matter (SOURCE). This reduction in grey and white brain matter can have a negative effect as it is in areas that are responsible for the cognitive, autonomic and motivational responses for individuals (Wiebking and Northoff 2013). As a result, studies suggest that individuals who have a lower intelligence and other neuropsychological deficits are more likely to exhibit paedophilic behaviour (Mohnke et al. 2013; SOURCES

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