Differential Association and Social Learning Theories PDF

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USU - Stephen VanGeem...

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Differential Association and Social Learning Theories What is "Human Nature" and is it innate?  Are we….. o pro-social - crime comes from society "failing us"  Anomie - strain, general strain theory o anti-social - lack of control or restraint  Deterrence - Heavily reliant upon formal social control (criminal justice system) ---free will  Social disorganization(macro) - informal social control ---determinism(no choice) o or nothing?  Different assumptions are linked to different theories  Today we will assume that humans are innately *NOTHING* ("blank slates") o Based upon the model of Locke's "Tabula Rasa" Differential Association Theory (1947)  Edwin K. Sutherland o Doctoral student from the university of Chicago o Heavily influenced by study of collaboration with informant "Chic Conwell" (a professional thief) o Introduced his theory in his textbook, Principles of Criminology  Selections from Sutherland's 9 formal propositions o Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication o When criminal behavior is leaned, the learning includes (a) techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated, sometime very simple, and (b) the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalization, and attitudes i. The motive comes from the people we associate with rather than an inborn quality o A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of law. o Differential associations may vary in frequency(how many times), duration(how long), priority(how early), and intensity(how important) i. Your mom's influence is stronger than your classmates influence o The process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anti criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning i. You learn criminal acts the same way you learn math 2. Any anti-social propensity is the result of the *company you keep* 3. Learning criminal/deviant definitions and learning pro-social/conventional definitions involve the *same learning mechanisms* and criminal vs. pro-social behavior is an *expression of the same wants and needs* 4. The way people get exposed to these definitions is dependent upon who they come into contact with and who they befriend - in short, who the differentially associate with o So what determines who forms friendships? Pro- vs. Anti- Social Attitudes are the result of *DUMB LUCK*

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There are two different cultures - one criminal and one conventional We are all subject to random placement within a conventional or criminal culture Allegiance is determined by which set of associated definitions an individual has the most *exposure* = who you differentially associated with and what definitions they hold o

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Social Learning Theory (1966)  Ronald L. Akers o Critique against Sutherland = Translating others' definitions into our own  After exposure to others' definitions, they must become REINFORCED as our own o Decided to combine differential association with Reinforcement Theory and look at deviance Reinforcement Theory  Definition: Individual behavior is conditioned or shaped by rewards and punishments  Classical or "respondent" conditioning: the conditioning or learning of involuntary reflex behavior  Discriminative stimuli: The environment and internal stimuli that provide cues or signals for behavior  Schedules of reinforcement: The rate and ratio in which rewards and punishments follow behavior responses Reinforcement vs. punishment  When a behavior is reinforced, it occurs again o Positive - give a reward (the carrot) o Negative - behavior encouraged in order to avoid something negative (press button and avoid the stick)  When a behavior is punished it will not occur again o Positive - direct application of aversive stimuli (the stick) o Negative - Removal of rewards/pleasurable stimuli (pointedly take the carrot away) Social Learning Element: Differential Association  Basically Sutherlands original theory o Associations can vary in frequency, duration priority and intensity  Interactional dimension: Exposure to *other's behavior* o Direct association/interaction with others who engage in certain behavior  Normative dimensions: Exposure to *other's definitions* o Learning different patterns of norms and values based upon associations Social Learning Element: Differential Reinforcement  Instead of ratio of "Criminal vs. Conventional definitions", it is the balance of "Reinforced vs. Punished behaviors" o Crime reinforced or punished? Conformity reinforced or punished? o Social Reinforcement: The direct reactions of others present, as well as actual an anticipated tangible and intangible rewards valued in society or subgroups o Nonsocial reinforcement: unconditioned physiological and physical stimuli Critiques of Differential Association/Social Learning Theory

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The issue of theory complexity Are we measuring "differential associatons" accurately? Are we capturing *every facet* of he social learning process? Debate over the *direction* of the relationship between delinquent peers and deviant behavior Socialization model: Deliquent peers cause behavior (through learning) Selection model: Something else (TBD) causes both behavior and the seection of delinquent peers because "birds of a feather flock together" The issue of "original sin" Akers theory is excellent at explaining continued crime and deviance, but how did the *initial deviant* attitude and technique develop?  Where did any of these theories come from if everyone started out as a blank slate?...