learning theories

Question 1

Michael and Adler report

Answer 1

• commissioned to review the current state of criminology
• said that criminology is not a real science- field is eclectic with no overarching themes
• attempts to theorize about crime have led to no testable propositions
• no useful scientific knowledge has been attained
• there is no criminological theory

Question 2

sutherland

Answer 2

• sought to establish a sociological model of crime
• said that a scientific explanation of crime needed to be able to explain all of the correlates of crime

Question 3

assumptions of learning theories

Answer 3

crime is learned, everything in our lives is influenced by our interactions with others

Question 4

modalities of differential association

Answer 4

differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity
frequency- more frequent; more influence
duration- the longer; the greater influence
priority- interactions made early in life are most likely going to have more influence
intensity- the importance or prestige attributed to the individual or the groups

Question 5

definitions favorable/unfavorable to crime

Answer 5

• how we learn to define the meaning of situations and what is appropriate or when it is appropriate to do certain behaviors
• everything in our life is influenced by our interactions with others- definitions of crime are influenced by interactions with others
• the specific direction of motives is learned from perceptions of aspects of the legal code as favorable or unfavorable
• a person becomes a criminal when they hold more favorable definitions to unfavorable definitions

Question 6

techniques of neutralization

Answer 6

• denial of responsibility
• denial of injury
• denial of victim
• condemnation of the condemners
• appeal to higher loyalties

Question 7

four elements of social learning

Answer 7

differential association, definitions, reinforcement, imitation

Question 8

reinforcements and punishments

Answer 8

positive and negative reinforcements, positive and negative punishments

Question 9

operant conditioning

Answer 9

uses rewards and punishments to modify behavior

Question 10

differential reinforcment

Answer 10

• the balance of anticipated or actual rewards and punishments that follow
• social reinforcements may include status and respect
• nonsocial reinforcements include intrinsic rewards (thrill, rush, etc)

Question 11

validity of social learning theories

Answer 11

• number of friends who are delinquent and friends attitudes towards delinquency are strong predictors of delinquency
• definitions favorable or unfavorable are also consistently strong predictors of deviant behavior