Differential Association theory

• Differential association theory


  An explanation of offending which proposes that through interaction with others people learn techniques and motives for offending behaviour
• What does the differential association theory suggest?

  • People learn the attitudes and techniques of offending behaviour through interaction with different people
  • Someone may encounter someone who has a positive view towards crime while another may encounter someone who has a negative view of crime
• Scientific Basis

  • There is a set of scientific principles that can explain all types of offending
  • There are conditions present when crime is present and they are absent when crime is absent
  • The theory aims to discriminate between offenders and non offenders
• Behaviourism and SLT

  • When a behaviour is reinforced it is more likely to be repeated
  • Role models and vicarious reinforcement are important as it makes someone more likely to commit crimes if they see someone benefit from offending
• Learning attitudes

  • Pro-criminal attitudes are where people justify and promote criminal behaviour
  • Anti-criminal attitudes is discouraging criminal behaviour
  • If pro-criminal attitudes outweigh the anti-criminal attitudes then they are more likely to offend
  • If anti-criminal attitudes outweigh the pro-criminal attitudes then they are less likely to offend
• 4 key factors in learning offending behaviour

  • Frequency- the more often a person interacts with others who engage in criminal behaviour the more likely they are to adopt these behaviours
  • Duration- longer the exposure the more they learn about offending
  • Intensity- stronger emotional bonds with offenders can lead to a higher likelihood of offending
  • Priority- significance of relationships matters with early relationships having a greater impact on shaping behaviour
• Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development

  • Aimed to study delinquent behaviour (minor crimes) of 411 boys from a working class deprived area
  • Longitudinal study following from when they are 8 up until adulthood
  • Interviews and questionnaires were used on family and to study the social impact and even used criminal documents
• Findings and risk factors identified from Cambridge Study

  • 41% had at least one conviction
  • The average conviction career lasted from 19 to 28 with an average of 5 convictions
  • Risk factors included family background, peer influence and school performance
  • These risk factors lead to people being more inclined to commit crime
• AO3 Differential Association: Research Support

  • The Cambridge Study supports the theory
  • It suggests risk factors that lead people being more likely to offend
  • These included family background where parental conflict may be high so people may have resulted to crime
  • Peer influence and school performance may have also lead to people offending
• AO3 Differential Association: Can explain a wide range of crimes

  • People that come from more disadvantaged backgrounds may resort to crimes such as burglary and shoplifting
  • People that are middle class and more affluent are more likely to be associated with fraud and identity theft
  • Lower class people do not only commit crimes and many types of offences can be learnt
• AO3 Differential Association: Difficulty Testing

  • It is difficult to say whether crime has been learnt in situations
  • Sutherland aimed to provide a scientific basis but predictions must be testable
  • However many concepts cannot be operationalised
  • It is hard to say measure pro-criminal attitudes and when they outweigh anti-criminal attitudes
  • The theory does not have scientific credibility
• AO3 Differential Association: Nature or Nurture

  • It is criticised for its overemphasis on nurture
  • Says crime occurs from learning about crime from your environment
  • Biological explanations may also be necessary to explain criminal behaviour
  • Perhaps both nature and nurture are present in offending behaviour