Differential Assocation Theory Flashcards

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1
Q

Differential Association theory

A
  • It was proposed by Sutherland (1939)
  • It states that offending is learned in the same way as everything else
  • Offending is learnt through socialisation
  • Pro-criminal attitudes/behaviours occur through association and relationships with other people- we learn our norms and values from them (including deviant ones)
  • Everyone has different associations and attitudes are reinforced through acceptance and approval
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2
Q

What are the 2 components of this theory

A
  • Learned attitudes towards crime
  • Learning of specific criminal acts
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3
Q

Learned attitudes towards crime

A
  • If the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person acquires outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, they will go on to offend
  • A person is likely to commit a crime if the exposure to criminal values has a high frequency (often), high intensity and high duration
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4
Q

Learning of specific criminal acts

A
  • In addition to learning about why they might want to commit a crime, criminal may also learn how to carry out crimes
  • This can help explain re-offending when people are released from prison- they can learn techniques from others
  • Learning can happen through observation, imitation or direct tuition
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5
Q

Farmington et al (2006)- research support for differential association theory

A
  • He followed 411 males (all working-class, deprived inner-city area of London)
  • Longitudinal study (between 8 and 50 years old)
  • By the end, 40% had at least one conviction
  • Most significant childhood risk factors for later offending was family criminality, poverty and poor parenting
  • This suggests that offenders will come from families and groups who have pro-criminal norms
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6
Q

Evaluation of differential association theory

A
  • Osborne and West (1979): found that where there is a criminal father, 40% of the sons commit a crime by 18 compared to 13% of sons on non-criminal fathers
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