Forensics- Psychological Explanations: Differential Association Theory Flashcards
Differential Association Theory-
An explanation for offedning, which proposes that individuals learn:
* Values
* Attitudes
* Techniques
* Motives
for criminal behavior through association and interaction with others.
What is differential association theory?
Differential association theory, proposed by Edwin Sutherland, suggests that individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior through interaction and association with others.
What is the scientific basis of differential association theory?
Sutherland aimed to develop a scientific theory that explains all types of offending by identifying conditions present when crime occurs and absent when it does not. The theory seeks to differentiate between individuals who become criminals and those who do not, regardless of their class or ethnic background.
How does differential association theory explain crime as a learned behavior?
Crime is learned through interactions with significant others, such as family and peers. Criminality arises from two factors: learning pro-criminal attitudes and learning specific techniques for committing crimes.
What are pro-criminal attitudes?
Pro-criminal attitudes are values and beliefs that favor breaking the law. If the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person acquires outweighs anti-criminal attitudes, they are more likely to offend.
How does the learning process work in differential association theory?
The learning process is the same for criminal behavior as it is for conforming behavior. Individuals learn through exposure to norms and values, with the likelihood of offending increasing if pro-criminal influences are more frequent, intense, and long-lasting than anti-criminal ones.
What is the role of learning specific criminal acts in differential association theory?
Individuals may learn specific techniques for committing crimes, such as breaking into a house or disabling a car stereo. This learning can occur through observational learning, imitation, or direct instruction from criminal peers.
How does differential association theory shift the focus of criminology?
It moves away from biological theories (e.g., Lombroso’s atavistic form) and moral explanations, emphasizing the role of social circumstances and environments in causing crime.
What is the explanatory power of differential association theory?
The theory can explain crime across all social classes and groups, including white-collar and corporate crime. It shifts focus from biological or moral explanations to social and environmental factors.
How does differential association theory explain reoffending?
The theory suggests that convicts may learn new criminal techniques from more experienced offenders while in prison, which they may apply after release, leading to reoffending.
What are the difficulties in testing differential association theory?
The theory is hard to test because it is difficult to measure the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person has been exposed to or to determine the exact point at which pro-criminal attitudes outweigh anti-criminal ones.
What is the role of family in differential association theory?
The family’s response to criminal behavior is crucial. If the family supports criminal activity, it legitimizes it, influencing the child’s values. This is supported by studies showing intergenerational crime patterns.
How does differential association theory account for individual differences?
The theory acknowledges that not everyone exposed to criminal influences will commit crimes. However, it risks stereotyping individuals from crime-ridden backgrounds as inevitably criminal, ignoring personal choice.
What is the significance of Sutherland’s focus on white-collar crime?
Sutherland coined the term “white-collar crime” and used differential association theory to explain how criminal behavior can occur in affluent groups, challenging the stereotype that crime is limited to lower-class individuals.
What form of determinism does differential association theory represent?
The theory represents social determinism, as it suggests that criminal behavior is determined by social influences and environmental factors rather than free will or biological traits.
How does differential association theory explain white-collar crime?
The theory explains white-collar crime as a result of exposure to deviant norms and values within middle-class social groups, where criminal behavior is learned and normalized.
What are alternative explanations for offending behavior running in families?
Offending behavior in families could support genetic explanations (inherited traits) or psychodynamic explanations (early childhood experiences and unconscious influences).
What is a key limitation of differential association theory?
The theory assumes that exposure to pro-criminal values is sufficient to produce offending, but it does not account for individuals who choose not to offend despite such influences.
What is the role of observational learning in differential association theory?
Observational learning allows individuals to acquire criminal techniques and attitudes by watching and imitating others, such as family members or peers.
What is the importance of frequency, intensity, and duration in differential association theory?
These factors determine the likelihood of criminal behavior. The more frequent, intense, and long-lasting the exposure to pro-criminal attitudes, the higher the chance of offending.
How does differential association theory challenge biological explanations of crime?
The theory shifts focus from innate biological traits to social learning, suggesting that criminal behavior is not predetermined by genetics but learned through social interactions.
What is the criticism regarding the mathematical prediction of crime in differential association theory?
While Sutherland aimed to create a mathematical framework for predicting crime, the theory lacks practical methods for measuring pro-criminal and anti-criminal influences, undermining its scientific credibility.
How does differential association theory relate to rehabilitation?
The theory suggests that reducing exposure to pro-criminal influences and increasing anti-criminal socialization could prevent reoffending, aligning with rehabilitation strategies that focus on changing social environments.
What is the ethical implication of differential association theory?
The theory emphasizes addressing social and environmental factors rather than blaming individuals, offering a more humane approach to reducing crime compared to punitive or eugenic solutions.
What is the key takeaway from differential association theory?
Criminal behavior is learned through social interactions, and addressing the social environment is crucial for understanding and preventing crime.
