Social Control and Social Learning Theories

1. Social Control and Social Learning Theories Dr. Matthew Robinson CJ 3400 “Theories of Crime” Appalachian State University

2. Social Control Theories Include: Anomie – crime is due to weakened norms in society (most often treated as a society-level theory) Failure of personal and social controls – delinquency occurs when youth lack internal controls and external controls(Albert Reiss, 1951) Stake in conformity – youth with little to lose are more likely to commit delinquency(Jackson Toby, 1957)

3. Social Control Theories Multiple control factors – delinquency occurs due to weak social controls Includes direct (threat of punishment) … indirect (attachments to non-criminals) … and internal (moral conscience)(Ivan Nye, 1958)

4. Social Control Theories Containment – delinquency occurs due to pushes (psychological and social pressures) and pulls (social temptations) Containments stop delinquency, including inner (self-control) and outer (families, schools)(Walter Reckless, 1961)

5. Social Control Theories Social bonding – delinquency is due to a weak bond to society. Bonds include attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief Attachment – the bond of love Commitment – the degree of investment to school and work Involvement – the amount of time spent in legitimate activities (e.g., recreation) Belief – the degree that one agrees with the law(Travis Hirschi, 1969)

6. Social Control Theories Low self-control – poor parenting (failure to supervise children, recognize incorrect behavior, and/or inconsistent discipline) leads to low self-control Low self-control – impulsivity, a preference for simple rather than complex tasks, risk seeking, a preference for physical rather than cerebral activities, a self-centered orientation, and a volatile temper(Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi, 1990)

7. Low self-control theory Bad Parenting (low supervision, failure to correct behavior, inconsistent discipline) LEADS TO Low self-control (impulsive, selfish, short-term thinker, risk taker) which LEADS TO Short-sighted, stupid, risky behaviors, such as …

8. Social Control Theories Age graded informal social control – quality, fulfilling marriages and careers can be turning points away from crime These can stop criminality even in serious, repetitive criminals (desistance) Marriages and careers = stake in conformity, less association with deviant peers(Robert Sampson and John Laub, 1993)

9. Internal Internal controls Moral conscience Indirect controls Inner containments Bonds (attachment, commitment, involvement, belief) Self-control Commonalities of Theories

10. Social Learning Theories Include: Imitation – people learn to behave by watching and copying others (especially when they spend time with and look up to them)(Garbiel Tarde, 1890) Observational learning – people learn to behave by watching and modeling others (especially when behavior is rewarded)(Albert Bandura, 1973, 1977)

11. Social Learning Theories Include: Differential association – criminality is learned in a process of communication within intimate personal groups People learn motivations for behavior from interactions based on the law “unfavorable to law violation” “favorable to law violation” Criminality occurs because of an excess of definitions favorable to violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation of the laws (Edwin Sutherland, 1939, 1947)

12. Social Learning Theories Criminality is more likely when you interact more with criminals (frequency)… spend more time with criminals (duration)… interact with people earlier in life (priority)… have strong relationships with criminals (intensity)(Edwin Sutherland, 1939, 1947)

13. Social Learning Theories Differential identification – identifying with criminals, directly or indirectly, can lead to delinquency(Daniel Glaser, 1956) Differential reinforcement – when criminal behavior is rewarded (reinforced), it is likely to be repeated, whereas when it leads to pain (punishment), it is not likely to be repeated(C. Ray Jeffery, 1965, Robert Burgess and Ronald Akers, 1968) 

14. Social Learning Theories Types of reinforcement/punishment: positive reinforcement – receiving something pleasurable from good behavior negative reinforcement – losing something bad because of good behavior positive punishment – receiving pain as a result of bad behavior negative punishment – losing something pleasant because of bad behavior

15. Social Learning Theories Social structural learning – combines imitation, differential association, and differential reinforcement Crime is learned from friends, family members, and from the media larger level (structural) factors effect likelihood of learning e.g., culture of violence in entertainment means more violence(Ronald Akers, 1999)

16. Social Control and Social Learning Key groups involved here are parents and peers … Evidence suggests both parents AND peers affect behavior! Which do you think are MOST important for your behavior??? (depends on stage of life) http://www.pscj.appstate.edu/theory/familyfriendstimeline.ppt

17. Evidence? Families are most important early in life (early and late childhood) Peers are more important later (adolescence, early adulthood) Antisocial behavior almost always precedes peer associations

18. Evidence? Peer associations tend to reinforce existing predispositions Effects of peers depend on quality of parenting Good parents can counteract influence of deviant peers

19. But what is a good parent??? Parenting can be thought of as a formula … There are some things you ALWAYS want to do (protective factors) … There are other things you NEVER want to do (risk factors) … http://www.pscj.appstate.edu/theory/parenting.ppt