Social Learning Theories

1.

2.

Differential Association Theory Social Learning Theory

Games

Pick any game you like Teach your classmates how to play Teacher: write down the techniques that help you in the process of teaching Students: write down things that helped you to learn a game

Learning Process

Teachers expertise and knowledge Willingness to explain Enthusiasm Patience with students

DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION

Learning Process
Explained the rules of a game Provided instruction Warned about negative outcomes of wrong actions

DEFINITIONS

Learning Process
Teacher has shown what to do Corrected when you were wrong Offered a better way of doing things

IMITATION

Learning Process
Teacher was supportive Encouraged you by words Was happy when you won Offered you a reward in form of warm greeting

DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT

Ronald Akers: Central concepts of Differential Reinforcement Theory

Differential association (groups provide major social context for learning) Definitions (attitudes/meanings) Differential reinforcement (anticipated/actual rewards and punishments) Imitation

Four conceptual categories for rewards and punishments:

Positive reward, which increases the frequency of approved behavior by adding something desirable to the situation Negative reward, which increases the frequency of approved behavior by removing something distressful from the situation Positive punishment, which decrease the frequency of unwanted behavior by adding something undesirable to the situation Negative punishment, which decreases the frequency of unwanted behavior by removing something desirable form the situation

Sutherland's Differential Association

In 1939 Edwin H. Sutherland proposed his theory of Differential Association in his Principles of Criminology textbook He formulated his theory with an attempt to explain not only individual criminal behavior but also those of societal groups Differential group organization should explain the crime rate, while differential association should explain the criminal behavior of a person (Sutherland, 1973)

Edwin Sutherland

Dissatisfied with multiple factor theories Correlation does not imply causation Wanted to explain why some factors were related to crime Asked: What do males, young adults, blacks, and inner city residents have in common that causes them to commit crimes? What is in the black box explaining these correlations? What is the intervening mechanism?

Specifying the Causal Mechanism by which Multiple Factors Affect Crime

Social Structure and Learning

Where individuals are situated in the social structure in indicated by age, sex, class, and race These characteristics relate to the groups of which persons are likely to be members, with whom they interacts These variable affect which behavioral models and definitions people are exposed Question: Is it possible to be a gang member in Pullman?

Social Structure and Social Learning

Social Structure
Society Community Age Sex Family Peers

Social Learning
Differential Association Definitions Imitation Other Learning Variables

Criminal Behavior Conforming Behavior

Individual Behavior

Race School Class Others

Differential association

Interactional dimension is the direct association and interaction with others who engage in certain kinds of behaviors as well indirect association and identification with more distant reference group Normative dimension is the different pattern of values to which an individual is exposed through this association

Differential Association is based upon these nine postulates:

1. Criminal behavior is learned

2. Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with others persons in a process of communication 3. The principal part of the learning of criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups 4. When criminal behavior is learned, the learning includes techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated, sometimes simple and the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes 5. The specific direction of motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favorable or unfavorable to committing deviant acts

Differential Association is based upon these nine postulates:

6. A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of

definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the law 7. Differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. Priority - the age of children when first understand criminal behavior Intensity - the level of prestige associated with a person or group Frequency - number of contacts a person has with groups that condone criminal behavior Duration - the length of time the relationship will last and so its influence over the persons behavior

Differential Association is based upon these nine postulates:

8. The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anticriminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning 9. While criminal behavior is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by those general needs and values, since non criminal behavior is an expression of the same needs and values

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Crime

Person has learned an excess of weighted definitions favorable to crime Person has learned the necessary skills and techniques. The opportunity to commit the crime is present If you can find one person who refrains from crime when these conditions are present, the theory is wrong If you can find one person who commits a crime when these conditions are not all present, the theory is wrong

Definitions

Definitions are ones own attitudes or meanings that one attaches to given behavior They are orientations, rationalizations, definitions of the situation, moral attitudes General Definitions - include religious, moral, and other conventional values and norms that are favorable to conforming behavior Specific Definitions orient the person to particular acts. Thus, one may believe that stealing is bad, but stealing from bad people/drug dealers is O.K.

Definitions Unfavorable to Crime

Crime doesnt pay. Marijuana causes brain damage and leads to cocaine and heroin. Turn the other cheek when insulted. Always be a law abiding citizen and youll be respected. Dont drink and drive you can hurt someone. Dont throw your life away by breaking the law! Sinners will be damned for eternity. Never rat on a fellow criminal or hold out on them.

Definitions Favorable to Crime

The Justice Department should be going after real criminals, not me! Its technically not sex if there isnt penetration and if you dont touch her! I can drive after five beers, no problem. If someone questions your manhood, you have to stand up for yourself. Everyone cheats on their income taxes its not really a crime. I was planning to give them money back after I solved my financial problem. Its not a crime if no one gets hurt. A sucker is born every minute.

The Professional Thief(1937)

Chin Conwell (criminal carrier for more than 25 years) Definition: thief is one who makes a regular business of stealing. The professional thief has technical skills and methods which are different from those of other professional criminals. Manual skill is important, but the most important thing is the ability to manipulate people (mostly talking ability)

The Professional Thief(1937)

The principal rackets of the professional thief are

Cannon (picking pockets) Heel (sneak-thieving from stores, banks, offices) Boost (Shoplifting) Penny-weighting (stealing from jewelry store by substitution) Hotel Prowling (stealing from hotel rooms) Laying paper (passing illegal checks. Money orders) Shake (shakedown of, or extortion from, persons engaged in illegal acts)

Recruitment

No policy of recruitment for the profession It is easy to find a partner from among the thieves who already are professionals A person can become a professional thief only if he/she is selected and trained by professionals

The mob

The working group of professional thieves Meet together for a season or for a trip or two Code of ethics, code of rules All gains in all rackets is to be even One member of the mob should not cut in on another member Each member is given his part to do and is expected to handle that part

Code of ethics

No thief may squawk (inform) on another thief (even he/she has been beat by the other) If one mob comes into a place and finds another mob already at work, then it will leave at once

The fix

The professional thief usually has a long record of arrests Most of the cases are dismissed or no disposition Thiefs ability to fix cases (sometimes employees a fixer) In every large city, there is a regular fixer for professional thieves Police and court officials often will accept a fix

The social life of the thief

Not much different from that in conventional society Movies, theaters, restaurants One personal characteristic - extreme suspicion