Understanding learning theories as an explanation of criminality - 7

Question 1

Understanding learning theories as an explanation of criminality

Answer 1

1. Learning theories explain behaviour as a result of the experiences that we have
2. These theories suggest that criminal behaviour can be explained as a result of learning, like any other behaviour we display
3. e.g. if we can learn to behave well in school because we see older peers behaving well or we are rewarded for good behaviour
4. Similarly, criminal behaviour can be a result of being rewarded or we can come from modelling the criminal behaviour we see in others

Question 2

Operant conditioning as an explanation of criminality

Answer 2

1. Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1948) developed a theory of learning called operant conditioning
2. He believed that behaviours we display are likely to be repeated if they are reinforced or extinguished and not repeated again if we are punished.
3. Operant conditioning explains that there are two types of reinforcement - positive and negative. This is the consequences of which encourage us to repeat a behaviour we have displaced
4. In operant conditioning there is reinforcement (which achieves desired behaviour) and punishment (which achieves desired behaviour)
5. Reinforcements work well when given when the behaviour has been displaced
6. Operant conditioning also explains that punishment is a consequence of behaviour, which means we are less likely to repeat behaviour again

Question 3

Positive reinforcement in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 3

1. We receive a pleasurable or rewarding consequence for our behaviour
2. We are then likely to repeat the behaviour to get something nice again
3. In terms of criminal behaviour, if someone receives praise from their family for fighting or for vandalism, or financial reward from committing fraud, then they are likely to commit the crime again

Question 4

Negative reinforcement in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 4

1. When a behaviour we display is strengthened by the avoidance of an aversive or unpleasant experience
2. We are likely to repeat a behaviour that gets rid of something unpleasant
3. In terms of criminal behaviour, if someone is able to stop a bully by punching them, it is likely that they will use their fists to solve problems in the future.

Question 5

Positive punishment in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 5

1. Receiving negative consequence for a behaviour, such as a child being told off by a parent for not keeping their bedroom tidy
2. This is often the way that we treat criminal behaviour
3. If someone does a criminal act and is fined or imprisoned, they are being positively punished

Question 6

Negative punishment on terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 6

1. Taking away something pleasant as a consequence of a behaviour that is not desired
2. e.g. if a child is disruptive at a birthday party, which they are really enjoying, a parent can remove them from the party to sit in the corner
3. In terms of criminal behaviour a person may enjoy being part of a gang
4. The gang may start to vandalise public property but because the person does not want to join in, they are told to leave the gang
5. The undesired behaviour of not vandalising property is punished

Question 7

Operant conditioning in prison

Answer 7

1. The state uses both positive punishment and negative reinforcement
2. e.g. if someone commits fraud and is put into prison, they are receiving positive punishment for their actions
3. When they are released from prison, they should avoid committing fraud because they do not want to be imprisoned again: this would be negative reinforcement

Question 8

Types of positive reinforcement

Answer 8

1. Operant conditioning explains that there are two types of positive reinforcers that can be used as a consequence for behaviour to strengthen behaviour
2. Primary and secondary reinforcers

Question 9

Primary reinforcers

Answer 9

1. These satisfy a basic biological need, such as food and water
2. e.g. A parent may reward the child with food treats for behaving well
3. Although it is unlikely that most criminals commit crime for primary reinforcers, people who are in extreme poverty or are starving may resort to committing a crime, such as theft, in order to satisfy a basic need.

Question 10

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 10

1. There are common reinforcers, such as school, grades, and tokens
2. These reinforcers often have no survival value, but we have learned to associate them with a primary reinforcer
3. e.g. a credit card
4. The card itself has no intrinsic value but it can be used to buy goods which are rewarding or satisfy a basic need such as food and warmth.

Question 11

Strengths of operant conditioning in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 11

1. A strength of operant conditioning is that the theory can be used to explain a wide range of crimes. For e.g. it explains theft and how social approval can be a strong reinforcer in peer groups that encourage deviant behaviour through positive reinforcement. It can also explain murders such that a man may find out that his friend is stealing from him, he attacks him, and the friend dies. This is negative reinforcement as it removes the aversive situation
2. Operant conditioning also explains that punishment can remove an undesirable behaviour. The is used in our criminal justice system - offenders are punished through the removal of their civil liberties.
3. It has also contributed to the development of behaviour management techniques such as token economies. These systems reward good behaviour in prison with tokens that prisinors can exchange for goods or treats.

Question 12

Weaknesses of operant conditioning in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 12

1. A weakness of the operant conditioning explanation is that not all crimes are committed because of receiving reinforcement or punishment; it is often more complicated than that.
2. It neglects other factors that can cause criminal behaviour such as the type of personality or genetics
3. The behaviour can be reproduced in the absence of reinforcement or punishment. A big part of whether someone chooses to commit a criminal act can be due to the way they think or a different form of motivation than reward. if an employee feels as though they are not valued in their job, they may choose to steal stationary to get back at their employer.

Question 13

Social learning theory

Answer 13

1. Social learning theory is a social theory because it explains that we learn from one another, rather than directly from reinforcement or punishment
2. Albert Bandura (1977) explains behaviour as a consequence of observing and modelling others around us
3. This is known as observational learning
4. We do not just copy anyone, we are motivated to copy those with whom we share similar characteristics. This person becomes a role model.
5. From observing a role model, we can learn how to new behaviours are performed, this is known as modelling
6. This may or may not lead to a change in behaviour

Question 14

Modelling

Answer 14

Learning new behaviour through paying attention to, retaining and reproducing the behaviour of a role model

Question 15

Observational learning

Answer 15

learning new behaviours through watching and modelling a role model

Question 16

Role model

Answer 16

a person who we admire or with whom we share similar characteristics.

Question 17

The identification and modelling process

Answer 17

1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Reproduction
4. Motivation
5. Identification

Question 18

Social learning theory as an explanation of criminality

Answer 18

1. if a person is exposed to criminality, such as a child living in a violent household, then they are more likely to pay attention and retain this.
2. Parents and television characters can be strong role models
3. If a child is exposed to criminality they are ore likely to model the behaviour, particularly if the role model appears to be rewarded for their activities

Question 19

Attention

Answer 19

in order to learn something new, you must be able to, and want to pay attention to it

Question 20

Retention

Answer 20

1. for learning to take place, you must be able to store or retain the new behaviour in your memory

Question 21

reproduction

Answer 21

1. to be able to model the new behaviour that you observed, you need to be able to reproduce it
2. So you may watch a gymnast do a backflip, and you could have paid attention and retained the way in which the move was performed, but you will not be able to reproduce it without agility and practice

Question 22

Motivation

Answer 22

1. you are more likely to model a behaviour you have observed someone do if you are motivated to reproduce it
2. This motivation can be intrinsic, in that you gain pleasure from copying it.
3. It could also be that you see the role model receiving a reward for this behaviour os you copy it in order to receive the same reward.
4. This is known as vicarious reinforcement

Question 23

Identification

Answer 23

1. identification occurs when you adopt behaviour, beliefs and values of the role model or group
2. temporarily adopting the behaviour of a role model of group

Question 24

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 24

motivation to model the behaviours of other who we see being rewarded for their behaviour

Question 25

strengths of social learning in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 25

1. There is a lot of evidence to support the social learning of aggressive behaviour. Bandura (1960s) conducted a series of experiments that exposed nursery-aged children to an aggressive role model. He found that aggression was copied, especially if the role model was the same sex as the child and if the role model was rewarded for their aggression
2. Observational learning is one of the main ways that children learn new behaviour and can explain this behaviour in the absence of reinforcement. Some behaviour does not become learned through consequences

Question 26

weaknesses of social learning in terms of criminal behaviour

Answer 26

1. Although experimental evidence, such as the studies conducted by Bandura, shows how children learn aggressive behaviour from a role model, such studies can only measure the short-term effect. We cannot ethically test whether exposure to aggression can have long-term effects. Meaning that the theory cannot be tested in real-life situations
2. Some criminal behaviour cannot be explained by observation learning. For e.g. murder is rarely witnessed in real life. It cannot explain opportunistic crime that has not been observed by the criminal. Similarly fraud is unlikely learning through observation as it is typically driver by financial gain.