The social learning theory is a psychological view point that states people obtain knowledge how to function by modeling themselves after the people whom they have observed (Schmalleger, 2011). The modeling theory of aggression by Albert Bandura analyzes the advancement of aggressive behavior by an individual’s observation of others (Osterburg, 2010). Although the social learning theory states that people can learn through observation, learning does not necessarily lead to aggressive behavior. Adhering to the new policy of the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services of removing every child from their household because of the offense of one or more legal guardian has committed will send the foster care system into overload and it would be unethical to categorize or label children as potentially violent or aggressive even though they have not yet demonstrated any antisocial behavior. Albert Bandura believed that children might shy away from being aggressive if it is not influenced or rewarded by their environment or family members (Siegel, 2010). In this essay, I will determine whether or not the Department of Job and Family Services misinterpreted or misapplied the social learning theory when planning and implementing the policy. I will identify potential ethical or moral issues that could arise from Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services implementing this new policy. I will describe the positive and/or negative impact the policy could have on society in general or on the family unit. I will address the implications of criminological theories within the context of social policy.
In the case study presented, the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services implemented a new policy r...
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...I addressed two criminological theories as it pertained to the case study provided.
Works Cited
Cherry, K. (2014). Social Learning Theory: An overview of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Retrieved February 28, 2014, from psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/sociallearing.htm
Osterburg, J. (2010). Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing the Past (6th ed.). [VitalSource bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781437778946/id/P14-25
Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal Justice Today an Introductory Text for the 21st Century (11th ed.). [Adobe Digital Editions version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781256762744/pages/50966501
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Albert Henry Desalvo was born on September 3, 1931 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, to Frank Desalvo and Charlotte. Desalvo was the third of six children. Desalvo father was an aggressive, violent, alcoholic fisherman from Newfoundland, Canada. Desalvo father would brutally beat up his wife and children with fists, belts, and pipes. When Charlotte was out of the house, Desalvo father brought prostitutes home and had sexual intercourse with them in front of the children. He was arrested repeatedly for refusing to support his wife and children. At a young age, Desalvo father taught Albert how to shoplift and encouraged him to steal.
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In this paper, I’m going to apply the social learning theory, biological theory and individual psychopathology theory to domestic violence. Social learning theory says domestic violence is educated performance from close relatives which is modeled, embraced, and benefited. According to the second theory, “domestic violence is biological which can be determined by inheritances and alterations in the brain growth due to trauma (Wolfe).” In the third theory, individual psychopathology, domestic violence is a learned structure based off early childhood experiences. This theory is found to be more probable than the biological theory. Domestic abuse transpires when a person in a relationship or marriage attempts to dominate and control their significant other unwillingly. When the abuse contains physical violence it is called domestic violence. Beginning at the early stages of life domestic violence can transpire in relationship due to observational learning, trauma and physical abuse; these attributes explain three theories: the social learning theory, the biological theory, and the individual psychopathology theory.
Akers and Sellers (2013) has stated that social learning theory is an expanded theory of differential association processes and improves it with differential reinforcement and other principles of the behavior theory. They added classical conditioning (the sharpening of involuntary reflex behavior); discriminative stimuli (internal stimuli that lead to signals for behavior); schedules of reinforcement (rewards and punishment ratio following behavioral feedback); and other theories of behavior (Akers & Sellers, 2013).
Behavior and social learning are two theories that are inherently intertwined. Behavior to some extent is taught for social reasons, and social learning can very much shape and create behaviors. While behavior is something intentionally taught, social learning can teach and reinforce many unintentional behaviors, such as dishonesty or aggression. In order to adequately discuss these two interrelated topics, theory exploration is in order.
Schmalleger, Frank.(2008). Criminal Justice, a Brief Introduction. Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.