Psychological Explanations: Differential Association Theory

Question 1

Differential association theory

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Association

Answer 2

number of contacts with criminals over non criminals

Question 3

2 factors that criminality arises from

Answer 3

• Learning attitudes towards crime

- Learning specific criminal acts

Question 4

Sutherland

Answer 4

‘the conditions which are said to cause crime should be present when crime is present, and they should be absent when crime is absent’

Question 5

Sutherland argues a number of pro-criminal…

Answer 5

…attitudes the person comes to acquire outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, they will go on to offend.

Question 6

Differential association suggests that it should be possible to mathematically predict how likely it is that an individual will commit crime if we have knowledge of the…

Answer 6

• frequency
• Intensity
• Duration
• Priority

Question 7

Frequency

Answer 7

how often exposed

Question 8

Duration

Answer 8

length of time exposed

Question 9

Priority

Answer 9

how important criminal association is

Question 10

Intensity

Answer 10

real life or on TV

Question 11

Learning criminal acts

Answer 11

Learning may occur through observational learning and imitation or direct tuition from criminal peers