differential association and social learning theories

what are edwin sutherland’s propositions of differential association theory

criminal behavior is learned through communicational interactions with others in intimate personal groups

What generally causes deviant behavior, according to sutherland

deviant behavior is caused by a person having an excess of definitions favorable to the violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation

What are Burgess and Akers main contribution to differential association theory

they introduced the psychological concept of operant conditions, asserting that learning is enhanced by social and nonsocial reinforcement

What are the concepts of social learning thoery

differential association : attitudes beliefs that define behavior as good or bad

differential reinforcement: balance of anticipated and actual rewards and punishments that follow or are the consequences of behavior

imitation: observing modeled behavior either directly or indirectly

According to sykes and matza why would people violate norms and laws even though they most likely know it is wrong to do so

individuals violate norms and laws by employing techniques and neutralization

What are the five techniques of neutralization?

denial of responsibility: I was drunk

denial of injury: no one got hurt

denial of victim: they deserved it

condemnation of the condemners: police are corrupt

appeal to higher loyalties: do it for family, the crew

How does akers social structure and social learning theory expand on earlier theories of social learning

It links social structure (class, race, environment) to learning environments, showing how structural inequality shapes who we interact with — and thus what behaviors we learn and reinforce

What is meant by rape culture

set of values, beliefs, and behaviors regarding the nature of woman, men, sexuality, and consent that trivializes or normalizes sexual violence

How do universities prohibitions of alcohol consumption and partying on college campuses contribute to the problem of sexual assault among college students

pushes students off campus to venues like bars and frats. in these locations, frats control every aspect of the parties

how do certain gender beliefs contribute to the problem of sexual assult among college students

men that are “naturally” sexually aggressive normalizes coercive behavior

how might armstrong, hamilton, and sweenys’s characterization of sexual assault on college campus illustrate sutherland’s concept of differential association

the context of college partying is described as a scripted event with shared assumptions on how to act and feel. this environment illustrates differential association because the prevailing definitions and expectations associated with the party scene may be favorable to the violation of sexual norms.

differential association

a person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favorable to the violation of law over definitions unfavorable to violation

reinforcement (opereant conditioning)

the process of increasing the likelihood of behavior

differential reinforcement

the balance of anticipated and actual rewards and punishments that follow or are the consequences of behavior