FROM SOCIAL LEARNING TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (FROM CRIME, LAW, AND SANCTIONS - THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES, 1978, BY MARVIN KROHN AND RONALD AKERS - SEE NCJ-52482)

• NCJ Number: 52488
• Author(s): R D CONGER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TWO ISSUES ARE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO A LEARNING THEORY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF OPERANT PSYCHOLOGY, THE PROBLEM OF ABSTRACTNESS AND SHIFTS IN INTEREST WITHIN THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE.

Abstract

BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLES PROVIDE NO INFORMATION, IN AND OF THEMSELVES, ABOUT SOCIAL INTERACTION. IF REINFORCEMENT PRINCIPLES ARE TO AID IN EXPLAINING SOCIAL PHENOMENA, THEY MUST BE RELATED TO SUCH EVENTS THROUGH A SERIES OF STATEMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE NEW INFORMATION NOT SPECIFICALLY DEALT WITH IN OPERANT PSYCHOLOGY. IN THE MOTIVATIONAL THEORY OF INDIVIDUAL DEVIANCE, THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ILLUSTRATE STIMULUS CONTROL MECHANISMS THAT INDUCE AND MAINTAIN CRIMINALITY. THE PRINCIPAL SUPPORT FOR THE RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL LEARNING TO DELINQUENT CONDUCT IS FOUND IN OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE FROM A NUMBER OF STUDIES DEALING WITH THE PREDICTION OF DEVIANT CONDUCT. FROM A SOCIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE, CRIMINALITY IS MAINTAINED PRIMARILY BY SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT. IN CONTROL THEORY, FAILURE TO DEVIATE IS EXPLAINED BY ATTACHMENTS TO CONVENTIONALITY. BOTH THE PEER INFLUENCE MODEL AND THE SOCIAL BONDING PERSPECTIVE CAN SERVE AS INTERMEDIATE STATEMENTS CONNECTING GENERAL LEARNING PRINCIPLES TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. THE PEER INFLUENCE MODEL EMPHASIZES THE INFLUENCE OF DEVIANT SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, WHILE THE SOCIAL BONDING PERSPECTIVE FOCUSES ON THE REINFORCEMENT VALUE OF CONVENTIONAL SOCIAL SITUATIONS. LINKAGES NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT A THEORETICAL BRIDGE BETWEEN REINFORCEMENT PRINCIPLES AND SOCIAL CONTROL PROCESSES MUST CONSIDER THAT DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY OF RULEMAKING, APPLY TO GROUPS AS WELL AS TO INDIVIDUALS, AND INCORPORATE THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENTIAL POWER ON SOCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. A MAJOR FOCUS OF LABELING AND CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES, THE TWO APPROACHES MOST OFTEN USED TO EXPLAIN REACTIONS TO DEVIANCE, IS THE DIFFERENTIAL POWER HELD BY SOCIAL GROUPS. THE CONCEPTS OF CONFLICT, POWER, AND SOCIAL EXCHANGE ARE DISCUSSED, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS IS EXPLORED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)