Learning theories of criminality Flashcards
Who created the Social Learning Theory?
Bandura
What is Bandura’s Social Learning Theory?
The argument that people learn by watching the behaviour of role models (usually the same gender and someone of a higher status). If someone else is rewarded for their behaviour, they’re more likely to copy the behaviour and if we see someone being punished, this will make us less likely to be each other.
What is Vicarious Reinforcement?
If a person watches another person be rewarded for behaviour they’re more likely to copy that behaviour because they want the same reward.
What did Bandura investigate in his Bobo doll study?
He divided children into 3 groups (Group 1- aggression rewarded with praise, Group 2- aggression got punished, Group 3- aggression wasn’t rewarded or punished) where all three had to observe adults being verbally and physically aggressive. towards the bobo doll. After, they were left to play alone to see how they would react.
What was the conclusion to Bandura’s Bobo Doll study?
The children imitated the behaviour based on on what consequences the model got.
They learned by observing someone else’s experiences
This can link to criminal behaviour- The model got rewarded for their criminality, the theory predicts the behaviour is more likely to be imitated.
What case study can be linked to Bandura’s social learning theory?
Jamie Bulger- the killers watched ‘Child’s Play 3’ before the murders which had all if criminal activity that was shown to be imitated by proof of Bulger’s autopsy.
Who created the differential association theory?
Sutherland
What is the Differential Association theory?
He thought that factors for crime was due to social factors
How does learning occur according to Sutherland?
Learning occurs through interactions with significant others- family, and peer groups
What two factors arise criminality?
Learned attitudes towards crime
Learning of specific criminal acts
Pro crime and anti crime
When a person is socialised into a group they’ll be exposed to certain values and attitudes. Sutherland thought host if the person who is pro-criminal, the criminal thinks anti-crime outweighs pro-criminal so they’ll go on to offend.
Pro-criminal in prison
When in prison, inmates are exposed more to pro-criminal attitudes and learn techniques on how to offend because three associating with experienced criminals. They can then put the techniques to use when release, leading to high-levels of re-offending.
Case study of differential association theory
The Bogle Family show that because the whole family but one all committed crime because they were associating and asking with other people who also committed crimes and found out the best way to do it so they kept doing it which passed down to all generation because of how much time they spent together.
