Differential Association Theory Essay

Edwin H. Sutherland’s formulation of differential association theory proposed that delinquency, like any other form of behavior, is a product of social interaction. On October 14th, 2002, 17 year old Lee Boyd Malvo was charged by the state of Virginia for two capital crimes: the murder of FBI analyst Linda Franklin "in the commission of an act of terrorism" and the murder of more than one person in a three-year period. Sutherland’s nine propositions of differential association best explains Malvo’s act for the following reasons: (1) Malvo learned how to commit each heinous crime through his social interaction within his intimate group, (2) Malvo learned the techniques to commit each crime through his mentor, i.e. learning the skills

The Social Learning Theory is similar to the Differential Association Theory in the respect that they both depend on the approval of others. It says that "...crime is something learned by normal people as they adapt to other people and the conditions of their environment" (Bohm, 2001: 82). People learn by reinforcement weather it is positive or negative. Growing up Kody began to feel more and more that his mom no longer expressed any love or care for him, but that she only nagged him. After returning home from juvenile hall the greeting that Kody got from his mother wasn't exactly what he wanted. "I knew she meant well, but I wasn't up to it tonight. I wanted to be loved, to be missed, to be wanted, not scolded" (Scott, 1993: 173). The

When I was about 10 years old I would take small items from stores without paying. It could anything from mechanical pencils, gum, candy bars, etc. Now, that I think about, I could have been sent to Juvenile Hall for a candy bar but lucky I didn’t. The theory to explain why I was stealing from stores would have to be the Differential Association Theory, which states that “criminal acts are related to a person’s exposure to an excess amount of antisocial attitudes and values” (Siegel, Ch. 7-2a). I learned how to steal from my brother and our friend, they didn’t actually teach me how now to steal but learned the process from them. However, what I believe increased my likelihood of engaging in delinquency would have to be the Frequency, Duration,

The nucleus of the social learning theory is differential association which emphasizes that criminality is a learned behavior. It is the exposure to antisocial groups that present the opportunities for individuals to become deviant. This theory offered a new way to address criminality rather than solely blaming biology as the reason for people becoming criminal. The concept directed its focus on both juveniles and adults who learn their behaviors through interaction and communication with other people. Edwin Sutherland was the influential advocate for this forward thinking which progressed beyond its years because it can be applied generationally to a wide range individuals in all societies. He believed all human behaviors are learned, and

In my attempt to discover if delinquency and drug use, or the sale of drugs were correlated with one another, my research lead to a positive correlation, especially when there was gang membership involved. The theory I have chosen to tie in with my review of the articles I found is the social learning theory of Edwin Sutherland known as differential association theory. According to Britannica online, Sutherland’s differential association theory of delinquent behavior is learned from other persons who are also engaged in delinquent behaviors. Sutherland believes that a person becomes delinquent because of an access amount of exposure to the definitions of criminal behavior and the violation of the law (Britannica 2007). This particular belief is a good theory to use to explain juvenile delinquency. Orcutt (1983) explains that Sutherland states that everyone has social groups which influence each of us in the actions that we chose to engage in according to the norms and values of that group. An example would be that most of our parents teach us that we should respect and obey the law. However, there are those that some people are associated with inside their social network that influence in negative ways, tempting and leading others into deviant behavior. Such as assuring those within a group that certain drugs should not be criminalized and that the chance of getting caught with them is very slim. With enough pressure and continued exposure to that mindset and behavior

The authors Edwin Sutherland and Donald Cressey’s article about the differential association theory of deviance define both criminal and noncriminal behavior essentially the same. In the opening paragraph, the authors make several statements referencing normative behavior as the same or similar to criminal behavior. It would seem, based on the article, that the difference between criminal and noncriminal behavior is based on how individuals chose to act upon gaining the knowledge.

Edwin Sutherland introduced the theory of Differential \ Association'. He gave two explanations for criminal behaviour. Situatuional and genetic. Situational crime is crime on the basis of the situation that persists at the time of crime and genetic crime on the basis of a criminal's life

Sutherland created the Theory of Differential Association. His theory is one of the social learning theories that attempt to explain deviance and crime. Sutherland suggests that a person who associates with criminals is likely to develop criminal behavior. According to Sutherland, “criminals learn both the techniques of committing crime

Edwin Sutherland’s differential association theory attempted to understand what leads to criminal behavior. Differential association is broken down in nine principles. The nine principles are a pattern an individual takes to becoming or obtaining criminal behavior. In this essay I will breakdown Sutherland’s differential association principles and bring out the weakness and strengths this theory has in society. First principle is criminal behavior is learned.

Over recent years, school bullying has become an important issue and underlying factor for more serious circumstances like school shootings, suicides, and countless student dropouts. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 160,000 kids per day do not attend school for fear of being bullied (A, 2013). With such a high number afraid to attend school, it’s not hard to see how this behavior drastically affects their quality of education and overall school experiences. Bullying can also produce physical responses such as headaches, stomach pains, anxiety, and possible depression, which in turn can affect the student’s self-esteem and sense of belonging. An issue causing such extreme emotional and physical pain is often addressed by schools

His father was gone much of the time, and drank heavily. He made decent wages as an employee of the gas company but these wages went first to his step siblings. Stanley had very little, if no positive learning from his

From the above definition, differential association theory can be concluded as criminal behavior that is learned in interaction with others (Bartol & Bartol, 2005). In fact, it is one of the oldest and best known social learning theories of juvenile delinquency because of how impressionable juveniles are. This theory applies to detaining juveniles and the detention center environment. Detention centers take youth away from their community and "comfort zone peers" and place them in an environment with other youth who partake in deviant behavior. (Parritz & Troy, 2013). In fact, juvenile detained in these facilities may actually increase their likelihood of re-offending because it is an environment in which juveniles can pick up criminal lifestyles,

The reason for this research paper is to interpret Ronald L. Akers’ social learning theory, which was an expansion of Edwin H. Sutherland’s differential association theory of criminal behavior. Sutherland said that behavior is learned through differential associations, but he never stated exactly how they learned crime. Robert L. Burgess and Akers pinpointed the learning devices for Sutherland’s theory in their theory of criminal behavior, differential association-reinforcement theory. After Akers’ work with Burgess he developed a modification of their theory, social learning theory. Akers applied it to criminal, delinquent, and deviant behavior in general. The basic assumption in social learning theory is that the same learning process in a context of social structure, interaction, and situation, produces both conforming and deviant behavior (Akers, R. L., & Sellers, C. S., 2009). The making of the theory depended on differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement and imitation to explain how we learn crime. Akers set the framework for how we learn crime from others and our surroundings.

To me, the Differential Association and Opportunities is a logical theory because it states that a person learns deviant behavior from their environment. As you mentioned, a person can spend so much time with people deemed as deviant, that they become accustomed to their behavior and find themselves more likely to be participating in the deviant activities. Birds of a feather flock together! However, I am curious to know how this theory would explain a situation where an individual engages in criminal behavior, but had not had any previous interactions with other deviant

Differential association theory enables the prediction crime and an understand the cause of criminal behaviour. The Thomas Antwi Bosiakoh in Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning defines it as “a process by which individuals come to have differential access to criminal values through interaction with other people” In summary it suggests that delinquent behaviour is learned thought interaction with other pro-criminal people. Initially DAT was presented by Sutherland in 1939, however in 1947 it was revised, consisting of nine outlining principles. These include: criminal behaviour is learned, criminal behaviour is learned in interactions with other people, criminal behaviour occurs in an intimate group, criminal learnings include techniques and motives, motives are learned from definitions of legal codes as favourable or unfavourable, a person is a criminal because of excess of of definitions favourable to the violation of law over definitions unfavourable to the violation of law, differential association varies, the processes of learning criminal behaviour is the same mechanism as learning any other processes and both criminal and noncriminal behaviours are expression of the same needs and value. These outlining principles form the bases of the theory. DAT has remained one of the most influential theories in understanding the impact of group behaviour and the formation of criminal behaviour.