A2 - Turning To Crime - Upbringing - Peers Flashcards
What is the behavioural approach?
We learn behaviours by operant and classical conditioning or the social learning theory. All learning is environmentally driven, being externally reinforced by rewards or punishments.
What did Bandura’s study find?
It found that when children observed adults hitting the bobo doll aggressively, they too imitated the aggressive acts.
Who came up with the ‘Differential Association Theory’?
E. Sutherland (1936)
How many key principles did Sutherland come up with?
Eight
What are the 8 principles?
- Criminal behaviour is learnt
- Criminal behaviour is learnt by communicating and interacting with others
- Intimate smaller groups have more influence than large influences
- The techniques in committing a crime can be learnt from a criminal
- Within groups, some may view some laws as pointless and feel it is their right to break them
- Criminal behaviour is learnt when you spend more time with criminals than non-criminals
- The extent to an individual’s criminality is dependent on their contact with a criminal: frequency; duration or intensity
- Criminal behaviour is learnt when a different behavioural pattern is socialised to the extent it becomes normal
How is the theory reductionist?
It does not take into account cognitive and physiological factors
How is the theory determinist?
Assumes that our behaviour is determined by our friends and family.
How is the theory useful?
It gives us an adequate explanation as to why crimes run in family.
How does theory support the nurture argument?
Assumes that social interactions is the reason for crime
Why might the theory be limited?
No empirical evidence to back it up
Name all the evaluation points. (5 points)
- Reductionism
- Determinism
- Usefulness
- Nurture versus Nature
- Lack of empirical data
