Psychological expl - Differential association theory

Question 1

Who was differential association theory made by

Answer 1

Sutherland, who explained criminality is ‘participation in a cultural tradition and as the result of association with representatives of that culture’ meaning criminal behaviour is a learnt response

Question 2

Socialisation

Answer 2

the process that we learn our norms and values, we are socialised by from the people around us (who we associate with) eg parents, friends and teachers

Question 3

What is differential association

Answer 3

everyone is socialised differently, as we all have different/ unique set of people around us.

Criminals are socialised but learn deviant norms and values because people they associate with have pro-criminal attitudes. The more of these attitudes people experience the more likely they will commit crime.

Behaviours are reinforced by the expectations of the people we associate with, they provide approval and disapproval. Criminals will approve of other criminals behaviour.
Reinforcement can also influence the likelihood of offending, such as receiving material rewards or high status, especially if the rewards are greater than the reward available for not offending

Specific offending techniques and behaviours are passed down to the next generation or within peer groups (eg how to pick a lock, tax fraud)

Question 4

How is behaviour reinforced

Answer 4

Behaviours are reinforced by the expectations of the people we associate with, they provide approval and disapproval. Criminals will approve of other criminals behaviour

Reinforcement can also influence the likelihood of offending, such as receiving material rewards or high status, especially if the rewards are greater than the reward available for not offending

Question 5

Differential association theory strength

Answer 5

Explains why certain crimes are performed by certain social groups of people, eg white collar crimes. Different peer groups would have different opinions on what types of crime are acceptable, for example armed bank robbery is bad but committing fraud or corruption in business deals is okay.

Practical applications include not putting first time offenders in the same prison as experienced criminals who may reinforce pro-criminal attitudes and pass on techniques. Also attempting to change opinions on criminality within social groups and providing alternate rewards

Sutherlands work was a direct rejection of racist views of ‘born criminals’ popular in his time. People used eugenic genetic arguments of criminality to perform forced sterilization on criminals so they couldnt pass on criminal genes

Question 6

Differential association theory limitation

Answer 6

Cant explain why younger males are far more likely to commit crime than older males, as older males would have had more exposure to pro-criminal options or why most crime is committed by males and not females, when females are also socialised within criminal families

Evidence is correlational and can be explained by genetic inheritance in families. Also it may be that people who are biologically predisposed to offending seek out people with criminal values ‘niche picking’