learning theories of crime

Question 1

learning theories

Answer 1

learning: a change in the pre-existing behaviour or mental processes that occurs as a result of experience

• criminal behaviour is learned, rather than controlled

Question 2

classical conditioning

Answer 2

• an automatic conditioned response (sexual arousal) to a conditioned stimulus (non consentual sex) is learned
• after the stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (pornography), that produces an unconditioned response (sexual arousal)

Question 3

aversive conditioning

Answer 3

offender is exposed to an unpleasant stimulus while aroused in response to deviant source

Question 4

covert aversive conditioning

Answer 4

offender exposed to a story that contains:

1) their preferred deviant stimulus with a buildup of sexual arousal
2) an aversive consequence that causes intense disguist, pain, or humiliation
3) release from the aversive consequence by removing the activity, offender learns to associate avoidance of deviant activity with feelings of relief

Question 5

overt aversive conditioning

Answer 5

offender pairs actual aversive consequence with or immediately after the deviant stimulus

ex. foul odour is paired with scenes depicting nonconsensual sex

usually followed by arousal reconditioning to strengthen appropriate arousal