CRI 205 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Differential Association, Social Learning Theory, Classical Conditioning
Document Summary
He was known for pioneering sociological studies of professional theft and white-collar crime. Criminal behavior is learned in a process of symbolic interaction with others, mainly in primary or intimate groups. Theory explains criminal behavior by the exposure to others" definitions favorable to criminal behavior, balanced against contact with conforming definitions. Principle of differential association is a principle that a person commits criminal acts because he or she has learned definitions (rationalizations and attitudes) favorable to violation of law. Reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral and environmental determinants. in criminology, it refers to the theory of crime and deviance developed by akers. Proposed as a behavioristic reformulation of sutherland"s differential association theory of crime (broader). It is a general theory that has been applied to a wide range of deviant and criminal behavior. Retained the principles of differential association and combined it with the learning principles of operant and respondent conditioning, differential reinforcement, acquisition, continuation, and cessation.
