Ch. 2 - Explaining Deviance (Learning Theories) Flashcards
What is the assumption learning theories?
People learn to be deviant.
What are the three learning theories?
Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory, Sykes’ and Matza’s Neutralization Theory, and Social Learning Theory.
What does Sutherland’s Differential Association theory posit about deviance?
Deviance is learned through the same process as conformity - differential association.
[Sutherland’s Differential Association] What is differential association?
People are more likely to become deviant if they are surrounded by deviant others who can teach small, intimate groups techniques and motives for deviance.
[Sutherland’s Differential Association] What are interactions influenced by?
Frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.
[Sutherland’s Differential Association] What does intensity refer to?
The importance of the group to the individual.
[Sutherland’s Differential Association] What does priority refer to?
How early in your life the group you are learning from enters.
What does Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization Theory posit about deviance?
Deviance is the product of a learning process in group interactions, but learned motives are especially important.
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What is the term given for the learned motives of deviance?
Techniques of neutralization.
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What are techniques of neutralization?
The ways in which deviants convince themselves that what they are doing is not wrong.
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What are the 5 neutralization techniques?
Denial of responsibility, denial of injury, denial of the victim, condemnation of the condemners, and appealing to higher loyalties.
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What is denial of responsibility?
Shifting the blame onto someone or something else. E.g., “it was an accident; I didn’t know he’d get hurt; it wasn’t my fault.”
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What is denial of injury?
Claims that no real harm was done. E.g., “It was just a prank; it wasn’t stealing it was borrowing.”
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What is denial of the victim?
Placing the blame on the person who was harmed. E.g., “they brought it on themselves.”
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What is condemnation of the condemners?
Shifts the focus from the deviant behaviour to the deviant behaviour of those condemning them. E.g., “you can’t judge me; police are corrupt; my boss is unfair.”
[Sykes and Matza’s Neutralization] What are appeals to higher loyalty?
Belief that deviance is justified because it serves a higher purpose. E.g., stealing to feed children.
What is the main tenet of Social Learning theory?
The Law of Effect (good outcomes result in more of the behaviour, bad outcomes result in less of the behaviour).
[Social Learning] What 4 factors are the likelihood of future action based on?
Definitions, imitation, differential association, and differential reinforcement.
[Social Learning] What are the definitions that determine future behaviour?
A person’s values and attitudes of acceptability of a certain behaviour.
[Social Learning] How does imitation determine future behaviour?
Individuals engage in behaviour they see others engage in.
[Social Learning] What is the differential association factor of future behaviour?
Much like Sutherland; people with whom one associates impact their behaviour.
[Social Learning] What is the differential reinforcement factor of future behaviour?
The process by which individuals experience and anticipate the consequences of their behaviour.
What has Differential Association theory been criticized for?
It’s “escape clauses;” the four dimensions that influence their behaviour are not defined by importance. The total number of deviant vs. conformist messages in someone’s life cannot reasonably be tallied.
What has Neutralization theory been criticized for?
It fails to address normative contexts. Are they pre-act neutralizations or post-act justifications?
