PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS : DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY

Question 1

what does differential association theory propose

Answer 1

individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motives for offending behaviour

Question 2

continue with the differential association theory in essence …

Answer 2

one person may associate with people who have every negative attitudes to crime

another may be exposed to more positive attitudes

Question 3

what are the 3 subtopics

Answer 3

scientific basis

offending as a learned behaviour

socialisation in prison

Question 4

SCIENTIFIC BASIS - what tasks did sutherland set himself

Answer 4

the task of developng aset of scientific principles that could explain all types of offennding

Question 5

SCIENTIFIC BASIS - what were the scientific principles sutherland developed

Answer 5

the conditions which are said to cause crime should be present when crime is present

and they shoudl absent when crime is absent

Question 6

SCIENTIFIC BASIS - sutherlands theory was and is designed to

Answer 6

discriminate between individuals who become offenders and those who don’t

whatever tehir social clas or ethnic background

Question 7

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - offendinng behaviour may be acquired in the same way as

Answer 7

the same way as any other behaviour through the process of learning

Question 8

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - how does offending behaviour learnign occur

Answer 8

most often through interactions with significant others who child values most and spemds the most time with

such as family and peer group

Question 9

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - what does differential association suggest

• hint maths

Answer 9

it shoudl be possible to mathematically predict how likely it is that an individual will commit offences

Question 10

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - what do we need to know how to mathematically predict how likely it is an indiviudal will commit offences

Answer 10

know the

-frequency
- intensity

and duration of exposure to deviant and non deviant norms and values

Question 11

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - offending arise from what two factors

Answer 11

learned attitudes towards offending

the learning of specific offending acts/techniques

Question 12

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING ATTITUDES - When a persons socialised into a group they will be exposed to

Answer 12

values and attitudes towards the law

Question 13

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING ATTITUDES - when person socialised into a group theyre exposed to values and attitudes towards the law what will these values be

Answer 13

some values will be pro crime

others will be anti crime values

Question 14

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING ATTITUDES - what did sutherland argue about pro and anti crime attitudes int erms of weighting

Answer 14

if number of pro crime attitudes the perosn acquires outweights the number of anti crime attitudes

they will go onto offend

Question 15

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING ATTITUDES - the learning process is the

Answer 15

same

Question 16

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING ATTITUDES - the learnign process is the same whether

Answer 16

a person is learning offending or conformity to the law

(or anything else for that matter)

Question 17

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING TECHNIQUES -

in addition to being exposed to pro crime atittudes, the would be offender may also learn

Answer 17

particular techniques for comitting offences

Question 18

OFFENDING AS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR - LEARNING TECHNIQUES - what may learning techniques include

Answer 18

how to break into someones house through a locked window

or how to disable a car stereo before stealing it

Question 19

SOCIALISATION IN PRISON - as well as offering an accoutn of how offending may x amongst x social groups and in x . sunderlands theory can also account for

Answer 19

as well as offering an account of how offending may breed amonfst specific social groups and in communties
sunderlands theory cna also account for

Question 20

SOCIALISATION IN PRISON - what can sutherlands thoery also account for

Answer 20

why so many convicts released from prison go onto reoffend

Question 21

SOCIALISATION IN PRISON - in terms of sutherlands theory or reoffending we can assume whilst inside prison , inmates learn

from other

that they may

Answer 21

specific techniques of offending

from other more experienced offenders

that they may put into practice upon their release

Question 22

SOCIALISATION IN PRISON - learning in prison may occur through

Answer 22

observaitonal learning and imitiation

direct tuition from offendnig peers

Question 23

LIMITAIOTN - LACKS OBJECTIVITY

Answer 23

Lacks objectivity – Although Sutherland promised to provide a scientific framework for crime, it is very difficult to measure the number of pro-criminal attitudes a person has been exposed to as many of the concepts cannot be operatoinalised ; Sutherland was not able to provide a measure that informed us of the point in which an individual would turn to crime i.e. the trigger point. Therefore, this undermined its scientific credibility.

Question 24

LIMITATION/ counterpoint - social sensitivity

Answer 24

Social sensitivity: This theory may lead to discrimination by creating a stereotypes that you can be perceived as a criminal through association. As Sutherland’s theory suggests that certain groups display similar crimes, it could mean that there is a danger of making assumptions that those who come from impoverished, crime-ridden backgrounds, will inevitably turn to crime.

which ignores the fact people may not choose to offend despite influences as not everyone who is exposed to pro-crime attiudes goes on to offend

Question 25

strenght - shift of focus

Answer 25

one strength of the differential association theory is, at the time it was first published, it changed the focus of offending explanations

Sutherland was successful in moving the emphasis away from early biological accounts of offending, such as Lombroso’s atavistic theory

as well as away from theories that explained offending as a product of individual weakness or immorality

differential association theory draws attention n to the fact that deviant social circumstances and environments may be more to blame for offending than deviant people

this approach is more desirable as it offers a more realistic solution to problem of offending instead of eugenics (biological solution) or punishment (morality solution)

Question 26

strength - wider reach

Answer 26

further strength of the differential association theory is that it can account for offending within all sectors of society

whilst Sutherland recognised that some types of offence, such as burglary, may be clustered within certain inner-city, working class communities, it’s also the case that some offences are clustered amongst more wealthy groups in society,

Sutherland was interested in corporate offences and how this may be a feature of middle-class social groups who share deviant norms and values

shows that it’s not just the ‘lower’ class who commit offences and that the principles of differential association can be used to explain all offences