A01: Differential Association - Psychological Explanations

• A set of scientific principles to explain offending


  Sutherland (1924) developed a set of scientific principles that could explain all types of offending

  • Individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques and motives for offending behaviour through interaction with others - these 'other' are different from one person to the next (hence, differential association)
  • His theory ignores the effects of class or ethnic background, what matters is who you associate with.
• Offending is learned through interactions with significant others

  Behaviour is acquired through the process of learning.

  • Learning occurs through interactions with significant others who the child values most and spends most time with, such as family & peer group.

  Offending arises from two factors:

  • Learned attitudes towards offending
  • Learning of specific offending acts
• Learning Attitudes

  When a person is socialised into a group they will be exposed to certain values and attitudes.

  • This includes values and attitudes towards the law - some of these will be pro-crime, some will be anti-crime.
  • Sutherland argues that if the number of pro-crime attitudes the person comes to acquire outweighs the number of anti-crime attitudes, they will go on to offend.
• Learning techniques

  In addition to being exposed to pro-crime attitudes, the would-be offender may also learn particular techniques for committing offences.

  • For example, how to break into someone's house through a locked window or how to disable a car stereo before stealing it.
• Mathematical prediction about committing offences

  It should be possible to mathematically predict how likely it is that an individual will commit offences

  • The prediction is based on our knowledge of the frequency, intensity and duration of an individual's exposure to deviant and non-deviant norms and values.
• Reoffending may be due to socialisation in prison

  Sutherland's theory can account for why so many prisoners released from prison go on to reoffend.

  • It is reasonable to assume that whilst inside prison inmates will be exposed to pro-crime attitudes and also learn specific techniques of offending from more experienced offenders which they can put into practice upon their release.
• Differential Association:

  An explanation for offending which proposes that, through interaction with others, individuals learn values, attitudes, techniques and motives for criminal behaviours. (Explanations can be explained through Social Learning theory)
• Scientific Principles/basics:

  Sutherland (1939) develop set of scientific principles which could explain all types of offending

  “the conditions that r said to cause crime should be present when crime is present, and absent when crime is absent”

  • When person is socialised into a group they exposed to certain values and attitudes towards the law. 
  • His theory was designed to ignore a persons demographic but focus solely on their social experiences

  Sutherland sought a set of conditions that cause crime when present.

  • Some of these values will be pro-crime and some will be anti-crime attitudes
• Crime is a learned behaviour

  Learn crime just as we would any other behaviour

  • Individuals learn values, attitudes, techniques & motives for criminal behaviour thro interaction with (mostly) significant others (family, close friends)

  Crime arises from 2 factors

  • Pro-crime attitudes outweigh anti-crime attitudes 
  • Learning criminal techniques from role models

  Learned attitudes towards crime: Social Transmission of values, motivations & rationalisations for committing crime

  Learning specific criminal act: Involves development of technique required to commit crime e.g delicacy of pickpocket
• Crime is a learned behaviour: P2

  • Bandura et al. (1961) (approaches) - SLT: investigate amount of imitation of aggressive behaviour shown by a kid.
  • Learning happen through observing & imitating a model.
  • Lab experiment, independent measures design. 72 kids (36 boys, 36 girls) aged 37–69 months
  • IVs:
  • If kid witnessed aggressive or non-aggressive adult model in 1st phase (control group not exposed to adult model).
  • Gender of adult model
  • Gender of kid

  DV: amount of imitation of aggressive behaviour shown by kid.

  Kid watched model & then placed in room with Bobo doll & their behaviour was noted.
• Crime is a learned behaviour: P3

  Bandura et al (1961) Found:

  • Kid in aggressive condition show: more imitation of physical & verbal aggression vs kids in non-aggressive/control conditions.
  • Kids who saw same sex model imitated model’s behaviour more vs when saw opposite sex. Boys esp imitated male models more than girls for both physical & verbal aggression. Behaviour of male model greater influence than female model. Overall boys produced more physical aggression vs girls.
• Crime is a learned behaviour: P4

  Bandura et al (1961) Found:

  • Kids imitate aggressive & non-aggressive behaviours displayed by adult models, even if model not present.
  • Kids can learn behaviour via observation & imitation.
  • Behaviour modelled by males has greater influence on behaviour vs behaviour modelled by females.
• Pro-Criminal/crime Attitude:

  • If the number of pro-criminal attitudes the person comes to acquire outweighs the number of anti-criminal attitudes, they will go on to offend.
  • Should be able to carry out a simple calculation to predict the likelihood of someone committing a crime, we need to know is:

  Mathematical prediction (scientific basis) based on our knowledge of the frequency, intensity & duration of an individuals exposure to both deviant and or non deviant norms and values.
• Criminal techniques:

  • how to break into someone's house through a locked window,
  • how to spot the signs of an empty house, or
  • the delicate touch of a pickpocket.

  This can help explain re-offending when people are released from prison as they learn specific techniques from inmates.

  Learning can happen through observation & imitation, or direct tuition

  • In addition to learning about WHY they might want to commit a crime, criminals may also learn HOW to carry out crimes.
• Summary of Differential Association

  Criminal behaviour is learnt through interaction with others

  • Sutherland
  • Attitudes, techniques & motivations
  • Learn to associate with the groups
  • Anti crime vs pro crime attitudes
  • Individuals you associate with

  Behaviourism & social learning theory

  • operant conditioning
  • SLT: Role models, imitation, identification, vicarious reinforcements

  Attitudes

  • Pro vs anti criminal attitudes

  4 key factors

  • Frequency, duration, intensity, priority
  • These factors influence whether or not an individual turns to crime
• • Offending learnt though socialisation
  • Pro-criminal attitudes occur though association & relationships with other people
  • From these people we learn our norms, even deviant ones
  • Offending behaviours passed on through generations/from peers
  • Expectations of those around us reinforce our behaviours
  • Reinforcement affects offending behaviour - if rewards for offending greater than the rewards for not offending