Why people offend

[Doofy]

Well I have had an extremely busy week with studies which will only further increase. One lecture in particular got my curiosity, and I thought I'd pass it on to you guys and gals under the title of why people actually offend.

There are two behavioural motivations that lead to people offending. Intrinsant and Extrinsant motivations. The former deals with behaviour within the person that motivates them to behave in a certain way. This can include genitic composition which pre-dispose a person to behave in a particular way. It could also be poor impulse control and and something physically.

The latter deals specifically with environment, in which some external factor or event provides motivation for behaviour which can include peer pressure. A person may have witnessed or learnt that there are payoffs for that kind of behaviour. For example witnessing someone who has stolen a car and gotten away with it, ie not being caught.

Behaviour principles are learnt principles. Which therefore means that if it can be learnt it can also be un-learnt, it can be treated and and can be positive.

So my question was what about Paedophilia? Is it Intrinsant or Extrinsant behaviour.


A clinical definition and NOT a legal definintion from DMS-IV-TR (2000, p572) defines paedophilia as:
"Over a period of 6 months, recurrent, intense, sexualy arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviours involving sexual actitity with a prepubescent child or children (generally 13 years or younger)....The person has acted on these sexual urges, or the sexual urges or fantasies cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

There has actually been several studies in this area and one explination to this behaviour has been clinically formulated into this:

US Unconditioned Stimulus(childhood sexual play) leads to Unconditional Response (sexual arousal)
So...

NS Natural Stimulus (child's body) + US Unconditioned Stimulus (childhood sexual play) which is unlearnt leads to Conditioned Stimulus (child's ody) which leads to R Conditioned Response (orgasm).

What this all means is that in some cases paedophilia develops from childhood sexual play (this is unlearnt and all children experience this-it's not deviante behaviour). In some cases people just want to have sex with children.

A comparisson ( and before the homosexual fraternity jump up and down I am not suggesting there is a link between paedophilia and homosexuality) was drawn from a homosexual student who said that all the councilling in the world is not going to make you stop practicing homosexuality or become a rehabilited homosexual.

I believe the same is for those who engage in paedophilia. They can be sent to all the great doctors in the world but the truth be known is that they enjoy the sexual aspect, which is why they are a serious threat to society and really should not be eligible for parole. What are your thoughts?

[muffet]

Investigative Reports had a show on a pedophile last weekend. He sexually molested young boys yet did not consider himself to be a homosexual - as he would NOT ever consider sex with a grown man. He happened to be sexually aroused by children - male children - and that was that. It was his sexual orientation if you will and nothing would ever change he said.

So good thing that these fellas remain locked up for life imo.

[oscarmitre]

The behaviourist explanation is interesting Doofy. If you have any references on it I would really be interested in following it up.

[Tankus]

Investigative Reports had a show on a pedophile last weekend. He sexually molested young boys yet did not consider himself to be a homosexual - as he would NOT ever consider sex with a grown man. He happened to be sexually aroused by children - male children - and that was that. It was his sexual orientation if you will and nothing would ever change he said.

So good thing that these fellas remain locked up for life imo.

It isnt his sexual orientation so much as his sexual PREFERENCE....

his preference is for male children...his orientation as you (and he) have defined it is heterosexual.....

and yes locking up for a loooooong time is MY preference for him!

[muffet]

thanks for clarifying Tankus ;)

[Seand442]

To hell with locking him up. take him out to a field or the desert (vegas style) and guarantee he won't do it again.
And No, i do not think these sexual predators can bbe cured by therapy or whatever crazy castration idea might be next.

[LidaRose]

It isnt his sexual orientation so much as his sexual PREFERENCE....

his preference is for male children...his orientation as you (and he) have defined it is heterosexual.....

and yes locking up for a loooooong time is MY preference for him!

I don't see where you get the heterosexual inference. This guy is not attracted to sex with male OR female adults. I think I saw that show about the paedophile who had molested hundreds of little boys & was in jail for life. I remember specifically that he didn't consider himself homosexual.

Doofy...thx for posting this. I love learning new things...

LR