development of offending - theories and perspectives

Question 1

what are the categories of theories of crime?

Answer 1

individual - characteristics, genes, trauma

group and socialisation theories - peers and family influencers
- modelling, imitation of behaviour
- vicarious learning

community influence - different areas provide different opportunities for progress or crime

societal/macro-level theories - society is structured in a way that creates crime

Question 2

what is vicarious learning

Answer 2

learning consequences of actions by observing others

Question 3

what is a reinforcer, and what are some examples?

Answer 3

consequences that increase the chances of a behaviour

• social approval
• money
• sex
• social inclusion

Question 4

why is social learning theory important

Answer 4

explains the process of learning complex behaviours and assumes most of that process is normal

Question 5

what is a limitation of SLT

Answer 5

not clear why criminal behaviour is sometimes learned and sometimes not (conditions not well explained)

Question 6

how may intelligence link to crime? what is the issue with this hypothesis?

Answer 6

• poor marketable skills to earn a living
• poor ability to avoid risks
• get caught easily

weak support, studies show weak correlation

Question 7

what is self regulation - link to risky behaviours

Answer 7

ability to control your behaviour in various situations is important

sometimes seen as resource, which can run out. when run out, may increase likelihood of crime

some research links low self regulation and aggression

Question 8

is free will a mental resource? - Raine 2002

Answer 8

people with prefrontal defects, low autonomic arousal, early health factors and development of antisocial behaviours, may be related to psychopathy

Question 9

Eysenck - Biosocial theory of crime

Answer 9

biological factors have a big impact on criminal behaviour, but that impact depends on external factors

personality and environment produce crime

biology of individual (e.g., genes that affect neurotransmitters)
->
psychology (e.g., person becomes neurotic)
->
crime (if opportunity is there)

evidence is mixed, but theory does have good scope

Question 10

what are some controversial claims of Eysenck’s theory

Answer 10

genetics (XYY chromosomes and violence)

physical traits (certain body types related to crime)

environment (we can all be criminals, but socialisation leads us away from crime)

Question 11

what factors may explain juvenile offending?

Answer 11

extreme punitive ways to raise children

lack of love or rejection

lack of supervision

family disruption

deviant parents

Question 12

violent media and violence

Answer 12

university students completed a measure of trait aggressiveness, as well as video game playing habits

more violent video games engaged in more aggressive behaviour

people who play violent video games show diminished brain responses to images of real life violence, and correlated positively with violence

girls who watch the most TV have the most negative attitudes toward women

average child sees 100,000 acts of violence and 8,000 murders before the end of elementary school

Question 13

how do violent games increase aggression

Answer 13

1) practice
2) reinforcement (video games are fun)
3) develop a script for acting aggressively
4) become desensitised to violence and aggression