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How Does Tarde Describe Criminal Behavior

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Gabriel Tarde rejected the previous theories that were used to describe crime causation, such as Lombroso's idea that a person is born a criminal because they possesses certain physical characteristics. Tarde also did not believe psychologically factors were the primary cause behind criminal behavior. Instead, Tarde believed that criminal behavior is something normal people learn through their social interactions with other individuals as well as through the environment in which they interact. As our book states, "Tarde viewed all social phenomena as the product of imitation. Through imitation or modeling, a person can learn new responses, such as criminal behavior, by observing others, without performing any overt act or receiving direct reinforcement
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