Week 7 - Social Learning Flashcards
Aristotle’s Contribution to Learning
association
Law of similarity, law of contrast, law of succession in time, law of coexistence of space
Behaviourism
rooted in Aristotle’s associationism
Classical conditioning – Pavlov
Passive organism – unconditioned stimulus paired with conditioned stimulus = conditioned response
Operant conditioning – Skinner
Positive and negative reinforcement
Active organism
Tarde - 4 laws of imitation
Imitation occurs in close contact – proximity - most frequently in cities where
high imitation is “fashion” – slow imitation in rural areas is “custom” – crime began as a fashion
Inferior imitates the superior = crimes like drunkenness started with elite
New fashions replace old ones – crime evolves over time
Bandura - social learning
influenced by Tarde
Bobo doll – children imitated adults behaving aggressively
Learning occurs through direct – classical and operant conditioning – and observation
Vicarious reinforcement – observing rewards and punishments of others
Four processes – attention (notice behaviour), retention
(remember), reproduction (replicate), motivation (vicarious reinforcement)
Sutherland’s differential association theory
- Criminal behaviour is learned
- Criminal behaviour is learned in interaction with other people
- Principal part of learning occurs with intimate personal groups
- Learning includes A) simple or complex techniques of crime b) motives, drives, attitudes that justify criminal behaviour
- Definitions of the legal code are favourable or unfavourable
- Someone becomes delinquent due to an excess of unfavourable legal definitions – definitions favourable to law violation – differential association
- Differential associations vary in frequency, intensity, duration, priority
- Learning criminal behaviour involves the mechanisms as any other learning
- Criminal behaviour is not explained by general needs and value
Sutherland’s differential association theory - definitions depend on what?
frequency (number), intensity (how often), priority (how close), duration (how long)
Sutherland’s differential association theory - Culture conflict, Normative conflict, Social disorganization, Differential social disorganization
- Culture conflict: describes a society where groups have different values regarding behaviour
- Social disorganization: norms are unclear or conflicting, fostering conditions where crime thrive
- Differential social disorganization: society has groups with divergent interests – some support crime, some do not – the divergence creates
conditions for differential associations - Normative conflict: conflicting social norms in a society – different groups have different norms on how to behave
Walter B Miller and gang delinquency
- Lower class has a distinct culture with its own focal concerns
- Trouble, toughness, street smarts, excitement, fate, authority resentment
- The lower-class culture combined with certain social conditions
- Female headed houses – exaggerated sense of masculinity
- Crowded living conditions – spend time on street and form gangs
- Outcome is gang behaviour
Wolfgang and Ferracuti’s subculture of violence
- Explains passion crimes
- There is a differential interpretation of stimuli based on race, gender, class – low SES groups demand a violent response to honour or status - rewarded with social approval for following violent norms and punished for nonviolent behaviour
- Quick resort to violence is a cultural expression
- Honour is valued higher, and life is valued lower
- Reduce violence by disrupt ideas that lead to violence – disperse the subculture
Elijah Andersons code of the street
Residents face high poverty, availability of illegitimate jobs, drugs and guns, high crime
Decent – civil code aligned with middle class values
Taught street code – defend selves in face of disrespect
Initially shielded by parents but will start to navigate street world
Code switch
Street – code of the street – cultural adaptation, lack of trust in criminal justice system
Respect central to code – being dissed can lead to violent retaliation
Grow up with little adult supervision
Nerve – no fear of death, ready for violence – deters violence
address socioeconomic conditions, improve job access, training
Akers social learning theory
Starts with differential associations – they provide favourable definitions and are models and provide social reinforcement
These associations start crime engagement – the definitions, imitation, and reinforcements
Whether they continue depends on differential reinforcement – rewards and punishments experience directly or observe
Akers social learning theory - terms
Operant conditioning
* Learning occurs through social and non-social situations
* Learning is influenced by reinforcements in non-social situations and the reinforcing or discrimination others have for criminal behaviour
Differential association
* Patterns of interactions with those who provide definitions – frequency, intensity, duration, priority – associations can be direct or indirect
Definitions
* Meanings attached to behaviours
* General – overall ethical, moral, religious beliefs
* Specific – apply to specific behaviours
Differential reinforcement
* Anticipated or actual consequences of behaviour
* Rewards can be social – approval – or non social – getting high
Imitation
* Observing others to learn
* Imitation depends on characteristics of person, behaviour, and the outcomes
Athens “Violentization” theory
Explains extreme violence – roots in symbolic interactionism
- Brutalization – experiencing violence – 1) violent subjugation (direct) 2) personal horrification (against close relations) 3) violent coaching (violence is suitable response)
- Defiance – decides not to be a victim and take control
- Violent performances – tries out – failures (retreat or try worse) or victories (reinforce, lead to next stage)
- Virulency – develop self image as a violent person, violence seems necessary
- Violent predation – violence exceeds normal boundaries, become monsters
Athens “Violentization” theory - Types of violent encounters
Violent engagement – all 5 stages – role claiming, role rejection, role sparring, role enforcement, role determination
Violent skirmish - role claiming, role rejection, role sparring, role enforcement
Dominance tiffs - role claiming, role rejection, role sparring
Athens “Violentization” theory - types of communities
- Civil – settle disputes through nonviolence resolution methods
- Malignant – rely on violence
Goal – shift to turbulent – collab with law enforcement and community, prosecute those causing most hard, implement deterrence, selective rehab and incapacitation - Turbulent – no consistent strategy
