FIRE SETTER

The Characteristics and Psychological Needs of Fire Setter

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Discussion1

Theories on the acquisition of Fire-Setting1

Psychoanalysis1

Social Learning2

Dynamic behavior2

Functional Analytic2

Discussion3

Conclusion3

References4

The Characteristics and Psychological Needs of Fire-Setter

Introduction

Many suffer from low-level mental deficiencies, are persons who derive sexual satisfaction from watching fires, or are chronic alcoholics, and they encompass the full range of ages (Hollin 2005, p. 177). The relationship between sexual arousal and fire-setting is plausible, since, through the process of classical conditioning, virtually any object or event can become associated with sexual arousal and gratification.

Discussion

The fact that some arsonists have fetishes or records of previous arrest for sexual offense lends some support to this possibility. Individuals who are sexually aroused by fire may, in general, be highly condition able introverts. We may also expect them to be sexually, socially, and vocationally inadequate. Fire-setting could be a way of feeling significant and resolving conflicts (Hill et.al 2002, p. 648). While some fire-setters may obtain sexual arousal and gratification from fire, there is very little evidence that many do.

Theories on the acquisition of Fire-Setting

There are four theories:

Psychoanalysis

Freud was the first to examine the psychological significance of the fire. His psychoanalytic theory relates the sexual desire with fire (Adler et.al 2004, p. 1194). Fire is libidinal and symbolically phallic representation. For example men attempt to extinguish the fire with his own urine, incendiary behavior represents a regression to the phallic phase of psychosexual development and the fact the fire cause replace masturbation or sexual desires prohibited.

Social Learning

This theory emphasizes the impact of the environment in the development of conduct inflammatory and postulated that this behavior occurs because young people learn as a result of observing, imitating, and may even be rewarded for it (Hill et.al 2002, p. 649). The fire-setting is a form of learned aggression can be seen ...