Lesson 7: Differential Association Theory Flashcards
1
Q
Who devised DAT?
A
Edwin Sutherland, 1939
2
Q
Differential Association Theory
A
Offending is learnt through socialisation. You can learn pro-criminal attitudes and behaviours through relationships with friends and family etc.
From other people we can learn norms and values.
3
Q
Learning pro-criminal behaviours can occur through _____?
A
Imitation
Vicarious reinforcement
Direct reinforcement
Direct Intuition
4
Q
Strengths of Differential Association Theory
A
- It can account for crime in all sectors of society. Sutherland (1924) recognised that some crimes, like burglary usually occur in inner-city working class commutes, but also in affluent groups. White collar criminals is a feature of middle class society
- Sutherland was successful in moving the emphasis away from early biological explanations of crime and those explanations which saw offending as being a product of individual weakness and immorality. This theory instead draws more attention to the role of dysfunction social circumstances and influences
- Offers a more desirable solution to offending behaviour compared to the biological/evolutionary/hereditary approach (eugenics and sterilisation) or the morality solution (punishment)
5
Q
Weaknesses of Differential Association Theory
A
- It is difficult to test scientifically. Most of the evidence to support differential association theory is correlational and does not establish strong cause and effect. You cannot measure the extent of the pro-crime attitudes that a person has been exposed to. The theory is based on the idea that criminality is more likely if the pro-crime attitudes you are surrounded with outweigh the anti-criminal ones, but we cannot measure either.
- Not everyone who is exposed to criminal influences goes on to commit crime. This could lead to stereotyping people who come from underprivileged and impoverish communities as unavoidably criminal. If ignores people’s free will.
