Describe Individualistic Theories Of Crime (2.2)

Question 1

What are the main features of learning theories?

Answer 1

1. Criminal behaviour is learned
2. The influence is our immediate social environment (family or peers)
3. The key role of reinforcement or punishment in the learning process.

Question 2

Who put out Differential Association Theory?

Answer 2

Edwin Sutherland

Question 3

What theory did Sutherland create?

Answer 3

Differential association theory

Question 4

Describe Differential Association Theory.

Answer 4

That individuals learn criminal behaviour from their family and peers. It’s the result of imitation and/or learned attitudes.

Question 5

Define imitation in terms of Differential Association Theory.

Answer 5

When individuals acquire criminal techniques by observing their family and peers around them.

Question 6

Define Learned attitudes in terms of Differential Association Theory.

Answer 6

When socialisation exposed the individual to attitudes and values about the law. If the attitudes are more unfavourable to the law then the individual is more likely to become a criminal.

Question 7

What example did Sutherland state as evidence of group attitudes?

Answer 7

Sutherland found that group attitudes in the workplace often normalised criminal behaviours (E.g; by claiming ‘everyone’s doing it!’) allowing the individual to justify their own criminal behaviour.

Question 8

Who created Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 8

B.F Skinner

Question 9

What theory did B.F Skinner create?

Answer 9

Operant Learning Theory

Question 10

Describe Operant Learning Theory?

Answer 10

If a behaviour results in a reward then it’s likely to be repeated. On the other hand, if the outcome is undesirable then it’s not as likely to be repeated. This shaping someone’s behaviour is called behaviourism.

Question 11

How does Operant Learning theory relate to crime?

Answer 11

If all behaviour is a result of reinforcement and punishment then this must explain criminal behaviour as if a crime has more rewarding consequences then an individual is more likely to engage in crime behaviour. The rewards could be financial but also emotional (respect of peers)

Question 12

What is Behaviourism?

Answer 12

The belief that the cause of someone’s behaviour lies in the reinforcement and punishments that shape it.

Question 13

Who proposed Social Learning Theory?

Answer 13

Albert Bandura

Question 14

What theory did Bandura propose?

Answer 14

Social Learning Theory

Question 15

Describe social learning theory.

Answer 15

That we learn much of our behaviour, including aggressive behaviour, by imitating other people that we consider our role models.

Question 16

Describe models in social learning theory terms.

Answer 16

A model is someone we model our behaviour from how we see them behaving and the consequences they get from their behaviour. Model rewarded = likely to copy. Model punished= not likely to copy. The higher the status of the model the more likely we are to immigrate.