Ch.5 Crim Theories

principle of differential association

sixth statement of sutherland’s differentiation association theory that says a person commits criminal acts because they have learned definitions favorable to violation of law in “excess” of the definitions unfavorable to violation of law.

definitions

rationalizations and attitudes in the differentiation association theory

modalities of association

describe how the learning of criminal behavior occurs through social interaction, specifically through frequency, duration, priority, and intensity. if persons are exposed first (priority), more frequently, for a longer time (duration), and with greater intensity (importance) to law-violating definitions than to law-abiding definitions, then they are more likely to deviate from the law.

differential reinforcement

operant behavior (the voluntary actions of the individual) is conditioned or shaped by rewards and punishments. The balance of anticipated or actual rewards and punishments that follow or are consequences of behavior. Whether individuals will refrain from or commit a crime at any given time (and whether they will continue or desist from doing so in the future) depends on the past, present, and anticipated future rewards and punishments for their actions

classical or “respondent” conditioning

the conditioning of involuntary reflex behavior

discriminative stimuli

the environmental and internal stimuli that provide cues or signals for behavior.

schedules of reinforcement

the rate and ratio in which rewards and punishments follow behavioral responses.

symbolic interactionism

The theory that social interaction is mainly the exchange of meaning and symbols; individuals have the cognitive capacity to imagine themselves in the roles of others and incorporate this into their conceptions of themselves.

interactional dimension

the direct association and interaction with oters who engage in certain kinds of behavior, as well as the indirect association and identification with more distant reference groups.

normative dimension

the different patterns of norms and values to which an individual is exposed through this association.

general definitions

One’s own attitudes or meanings they attached in larger given behaviors. They are orientations, rationalizations, definitions of the situation, and other evaluative and moral attitudes that define the commission of an act as right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable, justified or unjustified. Ex religious, moral, and conventional values and norms that are faborable to conforming behavior and unfavorable to commiting any deviant or criminal acts.

specific definitions

One’s own attitudes or meanings they attached to particular acts or series of acts. They are orientations, rationalizations, definitions of the situation, and other evaluative and moral attitudes that define the commission of an act as right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable, justified or unjustified. Ex: marijuana use

negative definitions

Attitudes that disapprove certain acts

positive definitions

Attitudes that approve certain acts to make the behavior morally desirable or wholly permissible.

neutralizing definitions

Attitudes that favor the commision of a crime by justifying or excusing it. they view the act as somethng that is probably undesirable but, given the situation, is nonetheless all right, justified, excusable, necessary, or not really that bad.

discriminative stimuli

Operate as cues or signals to the individual as to what responses are appropriate or expected in a given situation.

positive reinforcement

The probability that an act will be committed or repeated is increased by rewarding outcomes or reactions to it (e.g., obtaining approval, money, food, or pleasant feelings).

negative reinforcement

The likelihood that an action will be taken is also enhanced when it allows the person to avoid or escape aversive or unpleasant events

modalities of reinforcement

amount, frequency, and probability. The greater the value or amount of reinforcement for the person’s behavior, the more frequently it is reinforced, and the higher the probability that it will be reinforced (as balanced against alternative behavior), the greater the likelihood that it will occur and be repeated.

social reinforcement

The peer, family, or other social context in which the actions take place, one’s learned moral attitudes, and other social variables, affects how much one experiences the intrinsic effects of substance use or committing certain acts as pleasurable and enjoyable or as frightening and unpleasant.

nonsocial reinforcement

A more narrowly confined to unconditioned physiological and physical stimuli. In self-reinforcement

self-reinforcement

The individual exercises self-control, reinforcing or punishing one’s own behavior by taking the role of others, even when alone.

vicarious reinforcement

Whether the behavior modeled by others will be imitated is affected by the characteristics of the models, the behavior observed, and the observed consequences of the behavior (vicarious reinforcement;

selection model

A model of delinquent friendships in which they are formed around similarity in behavior or character.

socialization model

A model of delinquency in which it is learned through peer association.

Guided Group Interaction (GGI)

peer groups (guided by adult staff) in which common problems could be discussed in a group atmosphere that created and encouraged nondelinquent attitudes and behavior.

retroflexive reformation

By agreeing to participate in a group to help reform others, the criminal comes to accept the prosocial purposes and values of the group while becoming alienated from more procriminal values and thereby affecting his or her own balance of definitions unfavorable to criminal behavior more than he or she affects others’ definitions.

relationship principle

the process whereby “interpersonal influence by way of antecedent and consequent processes is greatest in situations characterized by open, warm, and enthusiastic communication and by mutual respect and liking.

contigency principle

the procriminal/anticriminal content of the messages communicated or by the procriminal/anticriminal nature of the behavior patterns that are modeled, rehearsed and subject to reinforcement and punishment contingencies

Imitation

The engagement in behavior after the observation of similar behavior in others.