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). Akers’ social learning theory’s basic premise is that deviant behavior is learned. The theory has four components. First is definitions, where a person considers his behavior is normal. Definitions can be general or specific. General definitions refers to a person’s religious, moral, and conventional values which is conducive to conforming behavior and decreases the chances of committing deviant behavior. Specific definitions refers to a person orienting himself to an action or series of actions. For example, a person may believe that drinking and driving is wrong so he will follow the laws of the road. However, he may see little wrong in smoking marijuana, and break the law of drug possession and use. The second component is imitation where a person copies other people’s behavior after observing them. The third component is differential reinforcement which is the balance of anticipated punishments and rewards that are consequences of behavior. Differential reinforcements have positive (rewarding outcomes) and negative reinforcements (punishments for bad behavior). Finally, the last component is differential association which basically means the people you hang out with. Differential association has four elements whic... ... middle of paper ... ...e substantial on the question about the ability of the social learning variables to account for differences in male and female offenses. References Akers, R. L., & Sellers, C. S. (2013) Criminological theories: Introduction, evaluation, and application (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Akers, R. L., Krohn, M. D., Lanza-Kaduce, L., & Radosevich, M. (1979). Social learning and deviant behavior: A specific test of a general theory. American Sociological Review, 44(4), 636-655. Lee, G., Akers, R., & Borg, M. (2004). Social learning and structural factors in adolescent substance use. Western Criminology Review, 5(1), 17-33. Messner, S., Krohn, M., & Liska, A. (1989). Theoretical integration in the study of deviance and crime. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Void, G., Thomas, B., & Snipes, J. (1998). Theoretical Criminology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Social behavior responds to a complicated network of rewards and punishments. The more a behavior is rewarded, the more likely it is to continue. On the flip side of this, the more a behavior is met with negative consequences, the more it is likely to stop. In any given social situation, whether someone commits a crime is largely dependent on his past behavior, or whether someone has received a positive reinforcement to a that crime. According to Social Learning Theory, crime is a direct response to this reinforcement. So in other words, if rewards are greater than punishments, the crime will be committed. Social Learning Theory is meant to operate as a general theory of crime.
Lilly, Robert J., Francis T. Cullen, and Richard A. Ball. 2011. Criminological Theory: Context And Consequences. 5th ed. California: SAGE.
Hickey, T. J. (2010). Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Crime and Criminology, 9th Edition. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Through Social Learning Theory, an individual can be studied based on the behavior acquired by a role model. Verbal conditioning procedures and observation influences the response to an individual’s personality. Environment factors contribute to the Social Learning Theory. Antisocial model is a major contribute to crime, which influences negative characteristics. The Social Leaning Theory has three core social concepts the must be followed: observational learning, intrinsic reinforcement and modeling process.
Akers, R, & Sellers, C. (2009). Criminological theories: introduction, evaluation, and application. New York: Oxford University Press, USA.
Chapt6 [2] Haralambos and Holborn 2002 [3] Merton. R 1968 [4] Hagedorn 1996 new perspective in criminology, chapter 13
Two of the major criminological theories of the twentieth century are Merton’s strain/anomie theory and Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization. Both theories were very important in their time, and still influence theorization today. This paper will discuss both theories and point out similarities and differences.
Winslow, R. W., & Zhang, S. (2008). Contemporary Theories of Crime. Criminology: a global perspective (). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Criminological Theory: Past to Present, edited by Cullen, T.F., Agnew, R. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Maguire, M., Morgan, R., and Reiner, R. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Social Learning theory is defined when an individual learns how to act from society and what others teach that individual. Some people believe crime is learned from others by watching them commit crimes. When it comes to social learning theory some of the arguments within the theory are, if individuals actually learn their behavior by watching others. As a child you grow up acting and following what others did around you some children were exposed to crime as a child and they will have a higher chance of becoming criminals. We all learned our behavior from watching family members and how society uses their views to impact how we act.
Williams, F., & McShane, M. (2010). Criminological Theory, 5th Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Williams, F., & McShane, M. (2010). Criminological Theory, (5th Edition). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
... 86). Hence why I believe that criminal behaviour is influenced by mixture of a persons social background, life chances and pathology
Deutschmann, Linda B. (2002). Deviance and Social Control Third Edition. Scarborough, ON: Nelson Thomson Learning.