Differential Association Theory - criminality

Question 1

Who proposed the theory? what did they argue?

Answer 1

Sutherland (1939) proposed the differiental association theory - he argued criminals are not born, they are made - criminal behaviour can be explained by social learning.

Question 2

What is the concept?

Answer 2

That people vary in the freq with which we socialise/associate with various groups - mixing with more people who have favourable attitudes towards crime, you are more likely to be influenced by them + develop pro-criminal views. - Sutherland believed a formula could be created in predicting whether or not someone would turn to crime based on their freq, duration and intensity of their social contacts.

Question 3

What is learned?

Answer 3

• A child learns attitudes towards crime, by learning what is and isnt desireable - children learn what TYPES of crimes are desireable - e.g. shop lifting is acceptable, but violent crimes are not.
• a child also learns specific criminal techniques e.g. a brother teaching a younger sibling how to effectively shop lift.

Question 4

Who is it learned from?

Answer 4

learned from intimate personal groups - family and friends, and the community - whether the community accepts or defies criminality determines crime rates in the area.

Question 5

How is it learned?

Answer 5

• through frequency, length, and personal meaningfulness of associations determines the degree of influence.
• through direct and indirect operant conditioning, e.g. direct = deviant behaviour being reinforced by praise.
  indirect (vicarious) = role models being successful in criminal activities.
• through social norms e.g. all friends drinking alcohol at a party, would feel weird if a friend did not.

Question 6

The nine key principles

Answer 6

1 - criminal behaviour is learned not inherited
2 - it is learned through association
3 - this association is with intimate personal groups
4 - what is learned: techniques, motives, drives, rationalisations and attitudes
5 - learning is directional - either for or against crime
6 - if number of favourable attitudes outweighs unfavourable ones then a person becomes an offender
7 - the differiental associations vary in freq and intensity for each individual
8 - criminal behaviour is learned through the same processes as other behaviours
9 - general ‘need’ e.g. for money is not sufficient explanation for crime as not everyone with those needs turns to crime.