Psychological explanation: differential association

Question 1

Who proposed the differential association theory

Answer 1

Sutherland

Question 2

Differential association

Answer 2

An explanation for offending which proposes that, through interaction with others, individual learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motives for criminal behaviour.

Question 3

Scientific basis

Answer 3

Sutherland developed a set of scientific principles that could explain all types of offending. His theory is designed to discriminate between individuals who become criminals and those who do not, whatever their class or ethnicity.

Question 4

Crime as a learned behaviour

Answer 4

offending behaviour can be acquired through the process of learning. this is done through social interaction, e.g. peers.
Criminality arises from two factors:
learned attitudes towards crime
learning specific criminal acts

Question 5

Pro-criminal attitudes

Answer 5

When a person is socialised into a group they are exposed to their values and attitudes towards the law. Some will be pro-crime and some will be anti-crime. Sutherland argues that if the pro- criminal attitudes outweigh the anti-criminal attitudes, they will offend.

Question 6

How can differential association mathematically predict if an individual will commit a crime

Answer 6

Frequency, intensity and duration of which they have been exposed to deviant and non-deviant norms and values

Question 7

Learning criminal acts

Answer 7

Sutherland’s theory can also be used to explain why many convicts who get released from prison go on to re-offend. This is because in prisons the offenders will learn new criminal techniques from experienced inmates.

Question 8

How can someone learn to behave in a criminal way

Answer 8

Observational learning and imitation

or

Direct tuition from criminal peers