Media and the Differential Association Theory

613 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on criminology theories

The differential association theory by Edwin H. Sutherland, explains why some members of a community become criminals and some do not. This theory is divided into eight principles that outline the reasoning for illicit conducts. In the movie Ocean Elevens, this theory really showcases each of the elements in which crime is fostered through the many characters. In the following paragraphs, I intend on explaining three of the eight differential association’s theory principles and apply them to Ocean’s Eleven.
The fourth principle in Sutherland’s differential association theory states, when criminal behavior is learned, the learning includes (a) techniques of committing the crime, which are sometimes very complicated, sometimes very simple; (b) the motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes to justify criminal actions. A great example of this principle would be: a high school student must learn from a peer on how to roll and smoke a marijuana joint in order to get the desirable high and then he must explain his reasoning for smoking the joint. In the movie, Danny Ocean teaches a...

Show More
Related

  • The Film Blow: Differential Association Theory

    690 Words  | 2 Pages

    Differential Association Theory The film “Blow” covers many different topics of differential association theories. The attitudes, the values, and the motives for criminal behavior as learned behavior. The film Blow, goes into the start of a young kid name George Jung, his parents want him to have values and live a wonderful life for himself. George is raised with father owning his own business, a stay home mother.

    Read More

  • Interaction And Self-Control Theory In The Movie 'Animal Kingdom'

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Animal Kingdom” is a movie about the criminal story of a 17 years old boy call Josh. His mother was died due to heroin overdose, he had no choice but to live with his grandma and the three uncles. The story is about how Josh was influenced by this crime family and to step in an uncontrollable situation. In the movie “Animal Kingdom”, the main character Josh has committed in crime, for example he stole a car, provided false declaration, and shoot dead. The differential association theory and self-control theory will be used to explain Josh criminal behaviors. The differential association theory suggested that criminal behaviors is a process of learning through interaction and communication with others (Sutherland, 1947). The self-control theory

    Read More

  • John Wayne Gacy's Social Learning Theory

    1627 Words  | 4 Pages

    Social learning theory was first developed by Robert L. Burgess and Ronald L Akers in 1966 (Social Learning theory, 2016). In 1973, Akers wrote a book entitled Deviant Behaviour: A Social Learning Approach, which discussed Aker’s conception of the social learning theory. He developed social learning theory by extending Sutherland’s theory of differential association (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is based on the principles of Pavlov’s operant and classical conditioning. Akers believes that crime is like any other social behavior because it is learned through social interaction (Social Learning theory, 2016). Social learning theory states that the probability of an individual committing a crime or engaging in criminal behaviour is increased when they differentially associate with others who commit criminal behavior (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is classified as a general theory of crime, and has been used to explain many types of criminal behaviour (Social Learning theory, 2016). Furthermore, social learning theory is one of the most tested contemporary theories of crime. There are four fundamental components of social learning theory; differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement and imitation (Social Learning theory,

    Read More

  • Criminal Justice Concepts in 12 Angry Men

    910 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the course of our class we have encountered plenty of important topics and vital information that is essential to the field of the Criminal Justice system. Such as; Crime and justice including laws, Victimization and Criminal behavior, Laws, Police officers and Law enforcement and the criminal justice system in itself. These topics are daily situations yet individuals are oblivious to what's going on and that in it can be a major problem to the community. On that note this paper will express the ignorance and selfish values of twelve individuals by fully explaining the movie "Twelve Angry Men"

    Read More

  • The Boondock Saints’ Positive Deviance

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    The brothers’ vigilante deviance has many causes, all stemming form the Social theory of deviance. The Labeling, Conflict and Strain theories are three of the most important theories for understanding what caused the brothers to start, continue, and stop killing the mafia. Each of the theories plays a part in causing the brothers’ to kill, but without all of them they would not have the acceptance and success that they did. These theories, even though they are meant for the real world are just as relevant for works of fiction in movies and books.

    Read More

  • Differential Association Theory

    1067 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this paper, I am going to going to examine the criminological theory of Differential Association theory by Edwin H. Sutherland. Also I am going to examine Kirk White from the film The Wild and Wonderful World of the Whites of West Virginia. Furthermore, I am going to apply Edwin H. Sutherland’s Differential Association theory to explain and understand the deviant actions of this character. I conclude that Differential association theory will explain why this character act in a deviant why.

    Read More

  • Relation between Burglary and Differential Association Theory

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    Differential association theory best explains the burglary deviance. There are many principles associated with this type of learning theory. Edwin Sutherland’s theory discusses how crime is a learned behavior where one’s family, peers, and environment are of great influence. Differential association theory seeks to prove that criminal behavior is learned and this paper will evaluate the connection between the two.

    Read More

  • Sociological Theory: C. Wright Mills

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wright Mills first question is what is the structure of this particular society as a whole?. In asking this question, Mills wanted to know how crime is understood in society and how is it an essential components that is inter-related in society?. In society, crime is seen as any actions that violates the laws established by a political authority. However, according to the authors of the book introduction to sociology states that “sociologists studying crime and deviance in the interactionist tradition focus on deviance and crime as a socially constructed phenomenon.”(p. 167). Meaning that crime is believed to be socially constructed. Edwin H. Sutherland used the theory of Differential Association to link crime through interaction with others, where individuals learns values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior. In other words, criminals learns to be criminal from other criminals. Another theory that show the interaction between society and crime is the labeling theory. The labeling theory is the idea that behaviors are deviant only when society labels them as deviant. This theory expresses the arrangement of power in society between those who does the labeling and those who are labeled. The people who holds the most power in society does most of the labeling in society. Furthermore, this often leads individuals that is considered deviant having a higher risk of committing a

    Read More

  • Theories Explaining Juvenile Crime

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    The study discussed in the text clearly shows that crime in Hamilton Park is much lower than in either Projectville or La Barriada. The reasons for this are clearly explained by Sutherland’s two learning theories, his differential social organization theory and his differential association theory. The other theories, Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization and Hirschi’s social control theory, do have some merits, but do not apply as clearly to the neighborhoods in the study. Clearly, Sutherland’s theories of learned behavior and favorable and unfavorable definitions offer clear explanations for the crime in Projectville, La Barriada and Hamilton Park.

    Read More

  • Code of the Street: Effecting Youths’ Behavior

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    How to research or ideas fit in with the assigned reading. The study was able to illustrate the dynamics of Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory and Aker’s Social Learning Theory through the simple fact that the study focuses on social behaviors, particularly deviant behaviors that can be the result of society or interactions. These deviant behaviors are typically learned actions as a survival mechanism due to a deteriorating community. Allen and Lo constructed their study from Anderson’s (1999) study of black male behavior within poor neig...

    Read More

  • Menace II Society

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    Growing up, Caine associated himself with groups that participated in drug dealing and street crimes. As he explains himself, “my father sold dope and my mother was a heroin addict…Growing up with parents like that, I heard a lot and I saw a lot. I caught on to the criminal life real quick. Instead of keeping me out of trouble, they turned me on to it” (Hughes). Thus, Caine’s deviance can be attributed to Differential Association Theory. He spent his entire life associating with groups that continually violated norms and provided him with negative sanctions for trying to conform to norms. For example, O-Dog, one of Caine’s friends, called Caine a “little bitch” when Caine stated he did not want to shoot any child...

    Read More

  • Differential Association Theory In Crips And Bloods

    308 Words  | 1 Pages

    Differential Association Theory is defined as a theoretical perspective that examines how people learn to be deviant or a conformist based on the community they are a part of. For example, because students are sitting in class room they have learned to conform to gain rewards and now are able to achieve in society. Edwin Sutherland coined the term differential association to indicate this: from the different groups we associate with, we learn to deviate from or conform to society’s norm. (Handlin 2015, Smith 2017).

    Read More

  • Criminological Theories Explaining Behaviors of The Cocaine Kids

    1362 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first criminological theory, that explains behavior of the drug sellers, is the theory of Differential Association. Differential Association, termed by Edwin Sutherland, argued that persons engage in delinquent behavior because they learn it from society and they engage in it when it benefits them. By this, he is saying that an individual will be a criminal if they experience an excess of criminal definitions over conventional definitions. Sutherland discovered that Differential Association is developed through various stages and he explains such development with the use of nine propositions. (Lily et al. 2011, 48) Such propositions are as follows: (1) criminal behavior is learned, (2) it...

    Read More

  • Training Day Reflection

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social learning theory assumes that criminal behavior is similar to any human behavior. It can be learned through a socialization process, which occurs when interacting with other individuals or social institutions. The duration, frequency and content of this social interaction leads to shaping people’s attitudes and behaviors towards legal codes. Ronald Akers supports differential association as a significant part of his revised social learning theory that attempts to explain deviance. However, he incorporates additional elements, such as differential reinforcement, imitations, and definitions. In the movie, Training Day, the trainee Officer Jake Hoyt needs to do prove himself and impress Commanding Officer Alonzo Harris in order to obtain

    Read More

  • The Look at three Integrated Theories

    2402 Words  | 5 Pages

    An integrated theory is a combination of 2 or 3 theories that offers many explanations on why crime is occurring, compared to a traditional criminal theory that just focus on one type of aspect (Lilly et al.2010). The purpose of integrated theories is to help explain many aspects into what causes criminal behavior and why one becomes delinquent. From this an argument arises can integrated theories be used to explain all criminal behavior. Integrated theories are successful in explaining certain aspects of crime on what causes one to become deviant; however one theory alone cannot explain why an individual engages in crime. This paper will examine three integrated theories and look in-depth how these theories can explain different aspects on why criminal behavior occurs and the weakness of each theory. The three integrated theories that will be discussed in this paper are Cloward and Ohlin Differential Opportunity theory, Robert Agnew General Strain theory, and lastly Travis Hirschi’s Social Bond theory.

    Read More

More about Media and the Differential Association Theory

Open Document