9.11.23 Forensic Psychology - Psychodynamic Explanations: Differential Association Theory

Question 1

Who proposed the **differential association **theory?

Answer 1

Sutherland

Question 2

What does the differential association theory suggest?

Answer 2

• Individuals learn VALUES,
  ATTITUDES, TECHNIQUES and
  MOTIVES of offending
  behaviour
• Through INTERACTION with
  others

Question 3

What was his theory designed to do?

Answer 3

• DISCRIMINATE between
  individuals who became
  offenders and those who did
  NOT
• Regardless of SOCIAL CLASS or
  ETHNIC background

Question 4

What happens when a person is socialised into a group?

Answer 4

Exposed to specific VALUES and ATTITUDES about LAW

Question 5

What are some of these values?

Answer 5

PRO-CRIME and others ANTI-CRIME attitudes

Question 6

What does Sutherland argue?

Answer 6

If number of PRO-CRIMINAL attitudes person gains OUTWEIGHS number of ANTI-CRIMINAL values, individual WILL become criminal

Question 7

What is crime not exclusive to?

Answer 7

People DEPRIVED or UNEDUCATED

Question 8

What can Sutherland’s theory explain?

Answer 8

Why so many CONVICTS released from prison REOFFEND

Question 9

What happens in prison?

Answer 9

INMATES learn SPECIFIC techniques for offending from other more EXPERIENCED offenders

Question 10

What do convicts do with these techniques?

Answer 10

Practice OUTSIDE of prison

Question 11

In what three ways, does this learning occur?

Answer 11

OBSERVATION, IMITATION or DIRECT tuition from other OFFENDERS

Question 12

What is a strength of Sutherland’s differential association theory?

Answer 12

Changed FOCUS of offending explanations

Question 13

Changed focus of offending explanations

Answer 13

• SHIFTED emphasis from
  BIOLOGICAL explanations of
  offending (e.g. atavistic form)
  as well as other theories
• Zooms in on influences of
  ENVIRONMENT and DEVIANT
  social circumstances for offending
• More AUTHENTIC and
  LOGICAL solution to PROBLEM
  of offending

Question 14

What is a limitation of the differential association theory?

Answer 14

More likely to STEREOTYPE individuals from IMPOVERISHED and CRIME-RIDDEN backgrounds

Question 15

More likely to stereotype individuals from impoverished and crime ridden backgrounds

Answer 15

• Exposure to PRO-CRIME values
  ADEQUATE enough to result in
  offending
• DISREGARDS fact that people
  can choose NOT to offend
  despite these influences
• Not everyone exposed to P**RO-
  CRIME **attitudes will offend