Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory, which is also known as social cognitive theory, was developed by Neal E. Miller and John Dollard in 1941 and expanded upon by Albert Bandura in the early sixties. Ronald L. Akers and Robert L. Burgess also proposed their own social learning theory in 1966 that is referred to as "differential association-reinforcement." Social learning theory attempts to explain why people do and why people do not commit deviant and criminal acts through the violation of societal norms. The central premise of the theory is that individuals learn deviance through the same kind of learning processes within the "context of social structure, interaction, and situation" (Barlow & Decker, Criminology and Public Policy) as they do conforming

The researchers found evidence supporting the variables of social learning theory "[have] greater explicability in predicting the risks of adolescent substance use than the two other theories" ("An Empirical Test of the Generalizability"). Another study conducted by Loeber et al. ("The Prediction of Violence and Homicide in Young Men") examined predictors of violence and homicide in young men in an American city. They found that poor and unstable child-rearing practices, including "physical punishment, poor supervision, poor communication within family, and two or more caretaker changes prior to 10 years of age" (Loeber et al.) helped to predict violent behavior in the future. This study demonstrates that social learning theory can predict criminal behavior in regards to what kind of childhood an individual had. In regards to treatment and rehabilitation, Akers states research has found that "while even the best programs have modest effects, the cognitive-behavioral approach has greater success than alternatives in prevention and treatment programs for both juveniles and adults" (Social Learning and Social