Criminology Flashcards
updated
What does operant conditioning suggest?
That we learn from the consequences of our behaviours. Therefore criminals behaviours are repeated (or not) due to their consequences.
Positive reinforcement
Example
Adding something pleasant/good after a behavior, which encourages repitition
If someone commits vandalism and they get prasied by their friends it encourages the individual to repeat this criminal behaviour
Getting stickers from a teacher makes us want to work hard again
Negative reinforcement
Example
Removing something unpleasant after a behaviour which encourages repitition.
If someone hits someone and it stops them getting bullied it encourages the individual to repeat the criminal behaviour
Getting a detention removed after helping someone
Positive punishment
Example
Adding something unpleasant after a behaviour which discourages repitition
If someone commits a crime and they have to go prison, this discourages the individual to repeat the criminal behaviour
Getting a time out
Negative punishment
Example
Removing something pleasant after a behaviour, which discourages repitition
If someone goes to prison the won’t see their pleasant family which will discourage the individual to repeatthe criminal behaviour
Getting electronics taken away
Primary reinforcer
A reinforcer (something that encourages repitition of a behaviour) that meets a basic need e.g. food,water
A person could commit a crime because they need to satisfy a basic need e.g someone in provery stealing food
Secondary reinforcer
A reinforcer (something that encourages repetition of a behavior) that does not meet a basic need directly
E.g. a credit card is a piece of plastic but it can be used to buy goods such as food
Strengths of operational conditioning
Supporting evidence - The theory can explain a wide range of crimes
Application - The theory is useful as it suggests we can punish crimes to stop them being repeated, positively or negatively e.g. fines or prison
The theory is useful as it suggests ways we can treat offenders to encourage pro-social behaviour
Weaknesses of operational conditioning
Objection - The theory doesn’t explain why some crimes are repeated, even if they are punished
Differences - The theory ignores the role of biological causes of criminality such as a personality disoreder
What does the social learning theory claims?
That we learnt by observing and imitating our role models. Therefor criminal behaviours are learnt bt observing other people oberving other people comminting crimes
Role models
Someome who we look up to (due to their high status) or someone we identifiy with due to being similar (same characteristic)
The role model will model a behaviour which could be a crime
Modelling
Learning a new behaviour through paying attention to, retaining and reproducing the behaviour of a role model
Identification
Seeing yourself as similar to a role model in some way
Observational learning
Oberservational learning is learning a new behaviour through paying attention to, retaining and reproducing the behaviour of a role model
Bandura believed we learn observing and imitating by ARRM
Vicarious reinforcement
When someone else is rewared for a behaviour, which encourages you to imitate their behavior.
The consequence of a role model’s behaviour encourages you to imitate thier behaviour
Someone else getting punished by affected to aswell
For example if someone talks during a test and get sent out, you don’t talk after that aswell
ARRM
Attention - the individual pays attention to a role model
Retention - The individual remembers specific details about role models behavior
Reproduction - The individual reproduces the behavior they saw, if they are able to do it themselves
Motivation - The person needs to be motivated to reproduce the behavior, perhaps by the role model being reinforced
Strenghts of social leaning theory
Supporting evidence - The theory is supported by Bandura, Ross study showing that children will imitate aggresive acts seen by a role model in particular same sex model showing that behaviours can be caused by observational learning
Application - The theory is useful as it has led to awareness that violence in media could lead to young people imintating this. This had led to things like age rating for films and games
Weaknesses of social learning theory
Objection - It doesn’t explain all types of crimes like it’s rare that someone would witness murder in real life
Differences - The theory ignores the role of biological causes of criminality, such as having a personality disorder
Personality
The group of characteristics that we have that make us who we are
Eysenck theory
Criminality is caused by a specific personality type the ‘pen’ personality type, when someone has high levels of the traits psychoticism, extraversion and neuroticism
Psychoticism
Lack of empathy towards other people
Extraversion
Outgoing and sociable - you need a lot of simulation from your enviroment and others
Neuroticism
Highly emotional and small things irritate you
How can you measure personality?
Eysenck created a personality test called ‘Eysenek Personality Questionaires’ which measures wether you are psychotic or not, neurotic/stable and extravert/introvert
Strenghts of Eysenck theory
Supporting evidence - The theory is supported by Farrington et al, who found that there was a link between high P and N scores and criminality
Application - The theory is useful as it can help us idenitify those who are at risk of becoming criminals. People who have high PEN on their EPQ could have early intervention to prevent from becoming criminals.
Weakness of Eysencks theory
Objection - The theory was supported by Farrington et al who found a link between P and N criminality. So perhaps extraversion isn’t a predictor of criminality.
We measure personality with questionaires and interviews which are a self-report technique and people can often be inaccurate when reporting about their own personality so lots of data is in valid (people may lie for social desirability)
Differences - The theory ignores the role of the learning theories such as social learning theory, where people become criminals due to imitating actions seen by role models
Reductivism
This is another term for reoffrnding - it refers to when a criminal is punished for their crime, but then they commit another crime after their punishment
Called a recidivist
Prison
For serious crimes, a prison sentence is often given as a punishment. The period of custody/detention depends on the crime that has been commited
It can also be a negative reinforcement as for some people prison provides shelter, stability, routine and friendship - things some people may not have
Strenght for preventing recidvism
By prisons
Prisons stop the criminal having the opportunity to commit a crime as they are under surveillance
Prison removes the offender from pubilc, so it keeps the public safe and can be reassuring
Weakness of preventing recidivism
by prison
In the UK, within the first yearof release from prison, about a quarter of offenders reoffend
Prisoners are exposed to other offenders, who may be role models. This can lead to crimes taking place within prisons too.
Once released the offender may find it hard to get a job because of their criminal record - so they might return to crime to for finantual reason
It may seem unethical to remove someones basic rights and privillages
