Learning Theories

• What are 3 key features learning theories generally emphasis?

  Criminal behaviour is learnt

  the influence of our immediate social environment - family+friends

  key role of reinforcement + punishment in the learning process
• How does learned attitudes lead to criminal behaviour?


  socialisation within a group exposes individuals to attitudes and values about the law

  • either favourable or unfavourable
  • if unfavourable - internalise these and are more likely to become criminal
• What is differential reinforcement made by Jeffrey?

  Criminal behaviour is learnt through the reinforcement of particular behaviours

  • if crime has more rewards then punishment more likely to commit crime
  • rewards can be financial or emotional
• What is social learning theory?


  learn behaviour by imitating others
• Explain Bandura’s experiment explaining social learning theory


  Studies children from 4-5yrs

  divided them into 3 groups

  all 3 showed a film of an adult being verbally or physically aggressive - towards an inflatable bob doll

  • Group 1 - model was rewarded with praise - more imitated
  • Group 2 - rewarded with punishment - less imitated
  • group 3 - neither rewarded or punished - less imitation then group 1 but still imitated more than group 2
• What are the use of models according to Bandura?


  We model our behaviour on how we see them behaving

  • more likely to copy their behaviour if they have a higher status then us
  • still depends on the consequences of that behaviour
• How does the imitation of criminal acts lead to criminal behaviour?

  Individuals acquire criminal skills + techniques through observing those around them
• How can social learning theory be applied to crime?

  If an individual observes a model getting rewarded for their criminal behaviour then they are more likely to be imitated
• What are the limitations of social learning theory?

  based on lab environments - don’t replicate real world situations

  not all observed behaviour is easily imitated

  • watch a film in which a thief is rewarded with loot - we may lack the skills to imitate that behaviour
• What do strengths of social learning theory?

  Bandura takes into account of the fact that we learn through experiences of others.

  children who observed aggressive behaviour being rewarded imitated it

  • importance of role models in learning deviant behaviour
• What was Sutherlands differential association theory?


  individuals learn criminal behaviour in their family and friend groups which results in imitation and learned attitudes
• What did Sutherland find when studying White collar crimes?


  Group attitudes in a workplace often normalise criminal behaviour - made it easier for individual members to justify their own criminal behaviour
• What are the strengths of differential association theory?


  Crime often runs in the families supports theory - people with criminal parents are more likely to be criminals as they have learned criminal values and techniques in the family

  Attitudes of work groups can normalise white collar crime, enables offenders to justify their behaviour
• What is the limitation of differential association theory?

  Not everyone who is exposed to criminal influences becomes criminal

  • may learn how to commit crime but doesn’t mean they put it into practice
• What is operant learning theory?


  Particular behaviour resulted in rewards are more likely to be repeated

  • if undesirable outcome then behaviour less likely to be repeated
• What is operant learning theory also known as and why?

  Behaviourism - cause of someone’s behaviour lies in the rewards or punishments
• What are the strengths of operant learning?

  Studies of animals show that they learn from experiences through reinforcement and human learning is also like this

  Jeffrey states that if crime leads to more rewarding than punishing outcomes for an individual - more likely to offend
• What are limitations of operant conditioning?


  Studies of learning in animals - not an adequate model of how humans learn criminal behaviour

  ignores internal mental process - explains criminal behaviour solely in terms of external rewards and punishments