AC2.2: Individualistic theories of criminality Flashcards
What are meant by learning theories?
Learning theories are based on the assumption that offending is a set of behaviours that are learned in the same way that other behaviours are.
What was Bandura’s Social Learning Theory?
Bandura believed that people learn by watching the behaviours of others. So if children watch adults enjoying an activity or being punished for an activity they will either repeat or reject those behaviours.
What was Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment?
Bandura carried out a series of tests where he exposed children to two different adult models: an aggressive one and a non-aggressive one. In the aggressive one adults were seen kicking and punching the doll and after witnessing this behaviour the children tended to copy the behaviour and even come up with new ways to hurt it. Compared to the children who watched the non-aggressive version, the non-aggressive children showed much less aggression.
What are violence and aggression produced by?
. Provocation
. Learned aggressive skills
. Expected success and rewards
. Pro-violence values
How do the findings from the Bobo doll experiment account for criminality?
Criminal behaviour, like any other behaviour can be learned from observing others and from watching the media.
What is observational learning?
When an observers behaviour changes after viewing the behaviour of a model.
Observational learning is thought to take place in what three main contexts?
- The family
- In the prevalent sub-culture (peers)
- Through cultural symbols such as television and books
How did Sutherland (1992) advance Bowlby’s theory?
He suggested that people learn their values and techniques for criminal behaviour from associations with different people or differential associations. It also accounts for the high reoffending rate of released prisoners in our country and the way that prisoners learn from those around them and become more versed in techniques and offences. This is why prisons are known as criminal universities.
What is differential association?
Interactions with others.
What was the research by Osborn and West (1979) find?
It considered sons of criminal fathers and non-criminal fathers. They found that if the father had a criminal conviction, 40% of the sons also had one by 18, however only 13% of sons with non-criminal fathers had a criminal conviction.
What did Freud believe?
He believed that the best way to understand behaviour is to examine early childhood experiences because criminality is linked to guilt. He compared our mind to an iceberg where only the tip can be seen and suggested that much of our mind was in an unconscious region. He also believed that it is our unconscious mind that controlled criminality.
How did Freud split personality?
Freud developed a structure of the mind into three parts: the id, the ego and the superego.
What is the id?
Controls selfish and animalistic urges, wants instant gratification and represents our basic needs. It is the most primitive part of our personality and is found deep in the unconscious part of the brain.
What is the ego?
Controls rational and sensible control, less primitive than the id and tries to be more practical and realistic. It acts as a mediator between the id and superego. It is partly in the subconscious and partly in the conscious.
What is the superego?
The superego is thought of as our conscience and is concerned with social rules and morals. It will tell you what is right and wrong.
What happens if there is not balance between all three?
If the id dominates the mind may become uncontrollable and criminality will be likely to occur.
If the superego dominates the person will become very moralistic and expecting perfection and becoming judgmental when it is not achieved.
If the ego dominates the person may become incapable of accepting change and require a fixed lifestyle.
What was Bowlby’s maternal deprivation study?
in 1944 Bowlby studied 44 juvenile delinquents and compared them to non-criminal disturbed juveniles. He found that of the delinquents, 39% of them had experienced complete separation from their mothers for 6 months or more for the first 5 years of their lives compared to 6% of the non-criminal control group.
What is a juvenile delinquent?
Someone under 18 that has broken the law.
What is meant by a control group?
A group in an experiment or study that does not receive treatment by the researchers
