Social-psychological - differential association theory

• Sutherland's Differential Association Theory states that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others, particularly those who are already involved in crime.
• The theory suggests that individuals associate with both prosocial (lawful) and antisocial (criminal) models throughout their lives, but they tend to spend more time around one type than another.
• what is learned ?

  Attituded - child will learn certain attitudes towards crime, for example whether it is desirable or not. A potential criminal is someone who has learned that criminality is desirable, and learned pro-criminal behaviour.
• what is learned ?

  types of crime - a child will learn which type of crimes are desirable, for example they may learn that burglary is acceptable, but violent crime isn’t.
• what is learned ?

  specific methods - a child will learn techniques for committing these crimes. for example an older brother might teach a younger sibling to to hotwire and steal a car.
• who are these crimes learned from?

  interpersonal groups, such as friends and family. they are also learned from the wider community. the level of which the community supports or opposes criminal involvement determines the difference in crime rates from one area to another
• Who is it earned from ?

  Individuals and groups themselves may not be criminals, but they may still hold deviant attitudes, or an acceptance to such attitudes .
• How is criminal behaviour learned?

  people vary the frequency in which they accociate with others who have a more or less favourable outlook on crime, and these attitudes and outlooks influence their own behaviour. The frequency, duration and intensity of the associations determines the degree of influence
• what is the difference between direct and indirect operant conditioning ?


  direct - a child may be directly reinforced for deviant behaviours through praise, or may be punished for such behaviours by peers and family

  indirect - role models, those who model criminal behaviour and are sucessfull in it, provides vicarious reinfrircement, as a child may see their role model doing well and they may want to replicate this behaviour.
• Criminal behaviour is learned rather than inherited.
• Criminal behaviour is learned through association with others, particularly intimate groups.
• The learning includes motives, rationalisation and attitudes.
• Learning is directional, either for or against.
• If the number of favourable attitudes outweighs unfavourable ones, a person becomes an offender.
• The learning duration and intensity of such associations will determine the degree of influence on behaviour.
• Criminal behaviour is learned through the same process as any other behaviour.
• General need is not a sufficient explanation for crime, because not everyone with those needs turns to crime.