NCJ Number
67898
Date Published
1978
Length
158 pages
Annotation
THE INFLUENCE OF THE UNCONVENTIONAL ATTITUDES OF PARENTS (DIFFERENTIAL SOCIALIZATION) AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THEIR CHILDREN'S DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WAS ANALYZED TO DISCOVER PATTERNS OF INTERACTION.
Abstract
THIS DISSERTATION PURPORTS TO PROVE THAT ONE DETERMINANT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS THE DIFFERENTIAL SOCIALIZATION (I.E., THE NONCONFORMIST AND DEVALUED ATTITUDES) OF THE YOUNG OFFENDERS' PARENTS. DEFINING SOCIALIZATION AS THE PROCESS BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL LEARNS THE WAYS OF A GIVEN SOCIETY OR SOCIAL GROUP, THE PAPER ARGUES THAT, IF CHILDREN'S PARENTS HOLD DIFFERENT VALUES FROM THOSE PRESCRIBED BY THEIR SOCIETY OR GROUP, THE CHILDREN WILL ABSORB THEIR PARENTS' MALADJUSTMENT AND DEVIANCE, AND BECOME DELINQUENTS. PAST THEORIES ASSUMED THAT JUVENILES BECAME DELINQUENTS IN REBELLION AGAINST, NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH, THE ATTITUDES AND VALUES OF THEIR PARENTS. THE STUDY USED DATA FROM A LONGITUDINAL STUDY CONDUCTED IN 1974, AND DATA FROM A SAMPLE OF 1,338 MALE JUVENILES COMPRISING THE MALE PORTION OF THE INCOMING FRESHMEN IN 8 SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA IN 1963, AND A SAMPLE OF THEIR PARENTS (TYPICALLY THE MOTHER). THESE DATA WERE ANALYZED AND COMPARED IN TERMS OF ANOTHER VARIABLE (SELF-REPORTS OF INVOLVEMENT IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN TERMS OF FREQUENCY AND SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENSES). THE METHODOLOGY BY WHICH THE DATA WERE MANIPULATED AND CORRELATED IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL SOCIALIZATION OF PARENTS INFLUENCES THE DEVIANT OR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OF THEIR CHILDREN WAS VERIFIED. WHILE THE PARENTS' DIFFERENTIAL SOCIALIZATION IS ONLY ONE OF MANY JUVENILE DELINQUENCY FACTORS, IT IS NEVERTHELESS A CRUCIAL, AND HITHERTO LITTLE UNDERSTOOD, CRIMINOGENIC ELEMENT. TABLES ARE PROVIDED; A BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 105 LISTINGS IS APPENDED.