Social Psychological- Differencial Association Theory Flashcards
What does this theory suggest?
Believes that crime is learned behaviour, this is learned through associating with different people
Who made this theory?
Edwin Sutherland 1883-1950
What does Sutherland say?
Designed theory to predict who would and wouldn’t become a criminal, by using mathematical formula concerning the frequency, duration and intensity of the individuals social contact so therefore scientifically if you mix with people who have a positive view towards crime then we can develop a pro criminal view
What is learned?
Pro criminality is learned from social situations. When someone socialises into a particular group they are exposed to a groups values and attitudes towards the law, so therefore they have there own set of morals
Examples of attitudes vs acts?
My older brother believes it’s okay to physically attack someone you dont like so then we believe its okay to physically attack people
Who is this learned from?
Role models
And certain social groups like peers and family’s
How can people learn from their neighbourhood?
The degree to which a local community supports or opposes criminal behaviour determine the difference in crime roles from one area to another, groups may not be criminal themselves but do have these attitudes
2 ways on how it’s learned?
Direct
Indirect
What is direct?
Reinforced/punishment for criminal activity
What’s indirect?
Vicarious reinforcement behaviours may be a result of observing and imitating role models when they succeed in criminal activity
Indirect positive reinforcement example?
Occurs when someone recipients reward for behaviour so it strengthens behaviour e.g. burglary
Indirect negative reinforcement example?
Behaviour displayed may strengthen behaviour by avoiding an unpleasant experience so behaviours repeated e.g. drug dealers beating up another drug dealer to stop competition
Sunderland’s 1st key principle?
Criminal behaviours learned
Sunderland’s 2nd key principles?
CB is learned through interactions with other persons in a process of communication
Sunderland’s 3rd key principle?
The principal part of learning of CB occurs within intimate personal groups
Sunderland’s 4th key principle?
When CB is learned the learning includes techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated or simple, the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalises and attitudes
Sutherland’s 6th key principles?
A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favourable to violation of law
Sutherland’s 7th key principles?
Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority and intensity’s (time and place of crime)
Sutherland’s 8th key principles?
The process of learning criminal behaviour by association with criminal and anti criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning
E.g. we learn crime the same way we learn maths
Sutherland’s 9th key principles?
While criminal behaviour is an expression of general needs and values, its not explained by those general needs and values since non criminal behaviour is an expression of the same needs and values
Evaluation- supporting evidence?
Osborne and West
Akers et al
Evaluation- supporting evidence- O&W?
Criminality runs in the family 40% of sons to fathers with criminal convictions engage in criminal behaviour by age 18
Evaluation- supporting evidence- Akers?
2500 females and males adolescence, looking at drinks and drug
Found mostly influenced by peers, differential reinforcement account for 68% in drugs and 55% in alcohol
Evaluation- Issues with research?
Weakness
Not a cause and effect relationship due to correlation
-Does CB attract criminal friends or vice versa
Evaluation- explaining certain types of behaviour?
-Strength as can be explained via white collar crimes, acting against the law committed by those that are seen as respectable and high social status, explaining has been able to offer a reason for types of crimes have not been explained by other theories
-Weakness, doesn’t explain non less violent crimes
Evaluation- practical/social implications?
Strength, explains that it had changed people’s views about the origin of criminality
Making an important shift for blaming individuals for criminal behaviour meaning that it is not inherited
Strength as it can show criminals aren’t always to blame for there crimes and allow us to look in depth
