3. Learning & Environmental Theories

Ch.3

Define: Psychodynamic Theories

theories of crime that emphasize how psychodynamic processes, such as conscious & unconscious psychological forces, influence the development of criminal behaviour 

focus on internal forces (often unconscious) that drive human behaviour

Define: Learning Theories

often propose specific condition that promote or inhibit learning

emphasize learning, e.g. the way info is encoded, processed, & retained

Define: Social Learning Theories

learning that takes place by observing others, being reinforced or punished for prosocial & antisocial behaviours

Basic Freudian Principles

humans thought to be inherently antisocial → driven by pleasure-seeking & destructive impulses

crime occurs when impulses are not adequately controlled (failure of internal psychic controls)

Id vs. Ego vs. Superego

Id: unconscious, primitive, instinctual desires → governed by the pleasure principle (seeks immediate pleasure w little consideration of the undesirable consequences) 

Ego: mediate b/w primal needs & society’s demands → guided by the reality principle (allows suppression of id impulses until appropriate social situation)

Superego: represents the internalization of group standards acting as a moral regulatory → conscience (distinguish right/wrong & force ego to inhibit id pursuits that don’t align w morals) & ego-ideal (socially accepted standards we all aspire to)

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

1. children are not exposed to consistent & constant maternal care in their early years (disrupted mother-child relationship) → harmful, irreversible long-term effects

2. they will experience difficulties in developing the ability to establish meaningful prosocial relationships

3. not develop means to control their conduct → more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior patterns

Evidence Against Maternal Deprivation 

(3)

1. maternal deprivation is not a critical factor to a child’s healthy development (i.e. a paternal figure can provide adequate care)

2. any damage caused by early deprivation is not necessarily irreversible

3. theory overpredicts juvenile delinquency → many who experience maternal deprivation don’t get involved in crime 

Antisocial vs. Asocial

Antisocial: going against society

Asocial: w/o society (e.g. not wanting to spend time w people)

External Control (Reckless & Hirschi)

(1)

social pressures to conform & the strength of these controls increased a sense of belonging to prosocial groups

Internal Control (Reckless & Hirschi)

(5)

1. pos. self-concept that involved self-esteem & seeing oneself as conventional, as opposed to criminal

2. a commitment to long-term, legitimate goals

3. setting realistic objectives

4. high tolerance for frustration

5. identification w lawfulness & respect for the law

Define: Social Control Theory (Hirschi)

people don’t commit crimes b/c of social controls or the bonds people have to society

List the Four Bonds in Social Control Theory

1. attachment

2. commitment

3. involvement

4. belief

Social Control Theory: Attachment

definition: attachment & interest in others, most importantly parents, friends, & teachers

don’t commit crimes b/c don’t want to jeopardize these valued relationships

Social Control Theory: Commitment

definition: the time, energy, & effort placed in conventional behaviour

run a heightened risk of losing that investment if become involved in crime (future oriented)

Social Control Theory: Involvement

definition: the time & energy one spends taking park in activities that are in line w conventional interests of society

heavy involvement in conventional activities limits time available to participate in criminal pursuits (present oriented → no time for crime)

Social Control Theory: Belief

definition: one’s conviction to the view that people should obey common rules & entails respect for a societal value system including respect for the law & institutions enforcing it

if beliefs are weak, more likely to engage in crime

General Theory of Crime (Hirschi & Gottfredson)

(6)

suggests that people do not commit crime b/c the posses high levels of self-control → depends on quality of parenting in early years

• self-control, internalized in early life → primary determinant of crime

• low self-control in the presence of criminal opportunities is assumed to explain crime

• over time, people w low self-control will inevitably become involved in criminal lifestyle

• children whose parents care about, monitor, & discipline them appropriately will likely develop the self-control needed to behave in prosocial manner

• self-control is assumed to be established very early in life & remain stable throughout lifespan

Three Factors Impacting Reinforcement/Punishment Effectiveness (Operant Conditioning & Justice)

1. Immediacy: the sooner the consequence follows the target behaviour the more likely the behaviour will be to inc./dec.

2. Consistency: the more often the consequence followed the targeted behaviour, the more effective the consequence will be

3. Intensity: the stronger the consequence, the more effective it will be

Jeffery’s Differential Reinforcement Theory

key factors in criminal behaviour → presence of reinforcement of similar behaviours in the past → reinforcing stimuli vs. aversive stimuli

if only experience reinforcing stimuli when committing crimes → behaviour is likely to continue as lacking aversive consequences (or not enough to prevent)

Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory

criminal behaviour is learned through interaction w others

differential impact of criminal & anti-criminal association → commit antisocial behaviour b/c of excess of definitions favourable to violation of the law over unfavourable

According to Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory, Differential Associations Vary In… 

(4)

1. Frequency: how often interacts w the group(s) exhibiting these definitions

2. Duration: the length of exposure to particular definitions

3. Priority: how early in life one encounters the definitions

4. Intensity: the prestige or status of group members holding the definitions

Aker’s Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory

combines operant conditioning principles w differential association principles & suggests that people commit crime when criminal behaviour is than non-criminal behaviour

included observational learning & vicarious conditioning

Define: Observational Learning

learning that occurs as a fxn of observing & often imitating behaviour exhibited by other people

Define: Vicarious Conditioning

a form of learning that takes place by observing the environmental consequences of other people’s behaviour (esp. reinforcement & punishment)