Social Psychological- Differencial Association Theory

Question 1

What does this theory suggest?

Answer 1

Believes that crime is learned behaviour, this is learned through associating with different people

Question 2

Who made this theory?

Answer 2

Edwin Sutherland 1883-1950

Question 3

What does Sutherland say?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What is learned?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Examples of attitudes vs acts?

Answer 5

My older brother believes it’s okay to physically attack someone you dont like so then we believe its okay to physically attack people

Question 6

Who is this learned from?

Answer 6

Role models
And certain social groups like peers and family’s

Question 7

How can people learn from their neighbourhood?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

2 ways on how it’s learned?

Answer 8

Direct
Indirect

Question 9

What is direct?

Answer 9

Reinforced/punishment for criminal activity

Question 10

What’s indirect?

Answer 10

Vicarious reinforcement behaviours may be a result of observing and imitating role models when they succeed in criminal activity

Question 11

Indirect positive reinforcement example?

Answer 11

Occurs when someone recipients reward for behaviour so it strengthens behaviour e.g. burglary

Question 12

Indirect negative reinforcement example?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Sunderland’s 1st key principle?

Answer 13

Criminal behaviours learned

Question 14

Sunderland’s 2nd key principles?

Answer 14

CB is learned through interactions with other persons in a process of communication

Question 15

Sunderland’s 3rd key principle?

Answer 15

The principal part of learning of CB occurs within intimate personal groups

Question 16

Sunderland’s 4th key principle?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Sutherland’s 6th key principles?

Answer 17

A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favourable to violation of law

Question 18

Sutherland’s 7th key principles?

Answer 18

Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority and intensity’s (time and place of crime)

Question 19

Sutherland’s 8th key principles?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Sutherland’s 9th key principles?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Evaluation- supporting evidence?

Answer 21

Osborne and West
Akers et al

Question 22

Evaluation- supporting evidence- O&W?

Answer 22

Criminality runs in the family 40% of sons to fathers with criminal convictions engage in criminal behaviour by age 18

Question 23

Evaluation- supporting evidence- Akers?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Evaluation- Issues with research?

Answer 24

Weakness
Not a cause and effect relationship due to correlation
-Does CB attract criminal friends or vice versa

Question 25

Evaluation- explaining certain types of behaviour?

Answer 25

-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

Question 26

Evaluation- practical/social implications?

Answer 26

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