differential association theory- FORENSICS

Question 1

who came up with differential association theory?

Answer 1

sutherland

Question 2

AO! summary of differential association theory

• what principle is it based on?
• what does it stand for

Answer 2

• based on social learning principles

—-> it’s the social organisations in which people are socialised that determine criminal behaviour

• stands for the ratio of favourable:unfavourable definitions of crime

Question 3

explain differential association theory

Answer 3

• criminal behaviour learnt through social interactions
• some subcultures in society are organised so that the norms are favourable towards criminal activity, while others are organised so that the norms are unfavourable to committing crime
• individuals come into contact with both types of attitudes (called definitions)
• if individual comes into contact with more and stronger attitudes (definitions) in favour of breaking the law than against it, they’ll consider criminal activity.

Question 4

What are the main influencing factors in differential association theory?

Answer 4

• how long they spend with these people
• how personally meaningful these interactions are
• who someone associates with
• how frequently they associate with these people

Question 5

For differential association to work, does someone need to be in direct contact with criminals?

Answer 5

• not necessary to associate directly with criminals
• contact with people who are favourable to law breaking is sufficient

Question 6

Alarid study on differential association theory

Answer 6

• tested 1153 newly convicted criminals for extent to which DAT could explain their offending behaviour
• found DAT served as a good general theory of crime and that it could explain offending behaviour, especially in men
• argument that it’s necessary to look at the contact of offending and use it to predict the likelihood of someone committing a crime

Question 7

AO3- differential association theory

Answer 7

• TOO GENERAL
  has no note of the detail of cognitive processes that might underpin criminal behaviour
• HARD TO TEST
  hard to measure number and strength of an individual’s associations and extent of the influence they may’ve exerted
• IGNORES INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
  some people are more susceptible to the influence of others
• Hard to explain crimes of passion and other impulsive offences by people who haven’t been raised to have deviant values
• drew attention to the fact that not all crimes are committed by deviant psychopaths from poverty stricken backgrounds
• explains prevalence of crimes in certain areas