SOC307 Lecture 10
TRANSMISSION OF CULTURE: THE LEARNING THEORY
-Edwin Sutherland -Differential association: through interaction with others
-individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques & motives for criminal behavior
-Crime occurs when: there are learned criminal values & motives / override /
mainstream values (pro-social) (you grow up in gang families)
Interactional factors effected degree of learned values
-frequency (how many times) -duration (how long) -priority (early
associations) -intensity (strength)
ALBERT COHEN (lower-class focal concerns)
-most delinquent acts: *not motivated by money *occurred in gangs (young/working
class males) *a youth culture "buzz"
-"focal concerns" of members: widespread & persistent attention *high degree
of emotional involvement
-> trouble making, toughness, street smartness, excitement, fate, autonomy
*for these people, they have no other alternatives of fun. They can't afford that trip to
Hawaii for fun so they steal and engage in delinquent acts
THORSTEN STELLIN
-homogenous society -norms of behavior will emerge -become laws
-enforced to preserve the unitary culture -deviation is unlikely -if found, it is
punished
Heterogenous society
-subcultures emerge -diverge from mainstream culture -establish their own norms
-particularly ethnic groups/youth -inter-subculture conflicts also emerges
Mainstream & subcultures
1) if balance of power is equal: accomodate each other
2) if mainstream more powerfull: subcultures are defined as deviant
CLOWARD & OHLIN
-illegitimate opportunity structure -running parallel to the legal one -operates on 3
levels
Level 1: Criminal Subculture: Forms when there are:
-stable working class communities -> with contacts in illegal groups -role models
who make crime pay -career structure for aspiring criminals
Level 2: Conflict Subculture: today we call it violent gangs
-they usually are not in stable working communities -see a lot of problems around you
Level 3: Retreatist Subculture: those who cannot make it through:
-legitimate means -violent/serious crime -retreat into: drug, alcoholism, petty
theft, shoplifting, prostitution...
CONFLICT THEORIES: Assumptions:
-different interests -conflict results
KARL MARX (1818-1883)
-Marxism -class conflict: for Marx, conflict with people becomes conflict b/w classes
-capitalism
History (Marxs' concept of it)
-study of the past: wars, beliefs, political changes...
Questions: what were hte causes of WWII? Why did Christianity emerge?
POLITICAL HISTORY: outcome of decisions & actions of powerful people (kings/ nobles/
politicians/ generals)
SOCIAL HISTORY: Marxism
-different social positions -conflicting interests -class conflict -history: result of
class conflict
Modern industrial capitalism: conflict of interest/ working class/ capitalists
(bour
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