Social Explanations for Criminal Behaviour

Question 1

Labelling

Answer 1

A majority group considering a minority group as inferior & using inferior terms to refer to them e.g. chav

Can affect an individual’s self-concept, leading to SFP

Can affect the way others treat you, leading to SFP

Question 2

Stereotyping

Answer 2

Thinking a whole group share certain characteristics. Based on generalised views e.g. every kid who wears a tracksuit is a criminal

Question 3

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Answer 3

Something coming true because it was predicted to happen

Question 4

Rosenthal & Jacobsen (1968)

Answer 4

• Researchers administer an IQ test to all students in an elementary school and told teachers that some random students scored so well they were certain to ‘bloom’.
• A year later another IQ test was done, those who had been labelled as ‘late bloomers’ did have higher IQ gains than other students, due only to their teacher’s expectations.

This fits in perfectly with labelling theory and how it can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 5

Labelling Theory SODA

Answer 5

S - Jahoda (1954) studied Ashanti tribe in Ghana where boys named after day they were born. Kwadwo (Monday) thought to be even-tempered compared to the volatile Kwadku (Wednesday). Jahoda found Kwadku 3 times more likely to be involved in violent crime than Kwadwo over 5-year period. Shows boys lived up to their labels.

O - Zebrowitz (1998) found boys with a ‘baby-face’ more likely to be delinquent than mature-faced peers. Suggested this was due to overcompensation for the perceived image that they may be ‘weak’ or ‘childlike’. Shows they did the opposite of living up to the ‘childlike’ label.

D - Social learning theory is a differing theory that can be used to explains social behaviour. SLT states that behaviour is learnt through imitation of role models. This involves the 4 steps of Attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. Bandura and his SLT would explain criminal behaviour by stating that it had been learned at some point in childhood, rather than as a result of labelling

A - Applied to reducing offending through reintegrative shaming ( Braithwaite 1989). This is when offender is given support by family and prison staff to reintegrate into society, compared to disintegrative shaming where offender is demonised by society and likely to return to their old ways.