SOCY 275 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Social Control Theory, Monoamine Oxidase A, Self-Control
15 Jun 2018
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WEEK 6
Role of Genotype in the Cycle of Violence in Maltreated Children
- This was a study done by Caspi et. al.
- Children who suffer from child abuse tend to be violent later in life
- Some do not become anti-social
- Want to know if children have high levels of some neurotransmitter (MAOA)– if you
have high levels you will be more likely to respond to a situation with antisocial
behaviour
- The gene by itself does not cause someone to be violent but if you include child abuse,
then it does change and the person is likely to be violent
- Low levels of MAOA—child abuse is more likely to lead to antisocial behaviour
- High levels of MAOA – child abuse is less likely to lead to antisocial behaviour
- If you do not have a bad environment – the gene does not have an effect on you
Hirschi: Control Theory
Focus on why people do not engage in crime
It assumes that everyone is going to engage in crime but there is something stopping some
people – what is it
Good at explaining why people engage in crime
Social bonds
- Attachment
o The relationships you have with other people
o E.g. parents, teachers
o Sensitive to the opinions of other people – we don’t want to hurt them
o We care about them
o The stronger the level of attachment to people – the less likely you are to engage
in crime
- Commitment
o The investments you make in conventional society
o Sometimes referred to as stakes in conformity
o Commitment to conventional lines of action – get a good education, get a job,
work hard at your job
o Do not want to lose the investments by breaking the law
o More commitment you have to conventional society, the less likely you are to
break the law
- Involvement
o The amount of time you spend in conventional activities
o The less time you are engaging in these activities, the more time you have to
engage in deviant activities
o The more involved you are, the less likely you are to break the law
- Belief
o Support and belief in the conventional value system you live in
o Belief in conventional morality
o If you think that it is wrong to break the law – then you are less likely to break it
Relations between bonds
- Attachment and commitment
o People have high commitments to things like education because of their
attachment to other people
o E.g. parents want their kids to go to university
- Commitment and involvement
o It is hard to do well in school, get a job etc. without getting involved (going to
class, studying etc.)
- Attachment and belief
o People come to believe that crime and deviance is wrong through their
relationships with conventional others
o If you do not have these relationships, you will not develop a strong sense of
belief
Issues
- Failure of involvement
o Doesn’t take much time to engage in crime or deviance
o Often, tests do not include involvement
- Peer effect
o Hirschi believes that attachment to peers means we are less likely to engage in
crime
o This is wrong
o Peers cause crime – not decrease the likelihood
- Belief vs. deviant values
o What does belief mean?
o Is belief the opposite of deviant values or are they just two different things
o Hirschi argues that you have more or less of belief
o Other perspectives think that there are other beliefs that support breaking the law
Gottfredson and Hirschi: General Theory of Crime
All crime at all times and analogous behaviours (things that aren’t crimes but are deviant
behaviours)
Characteristics of low self control
- Impulsiveness
o Immediate gratification
o More likely to engage in crime
- Risk taking
o Criminal acts are thrilling and exciting
o People with high self control do not like taking risks
- Physical
o Low self control – more physical and not cognitive
o Crimes often require speed and agility – low self control can settle the dispute
physically and high self control can do it verbally
o
- Short sighted
o People with low self control tend to think about things in the short term
o Will have problems in aspects of their lives
- Insensitive
o Low self control → lack empathy and insensitive
o Crimes that hurt people emotionally do not bother people with low self control
- Low frustration tolerance
o Low self control – bad tempers
o Leads to crime
They argue that we are all born with low self control but our parents social it out of us.
Theoretically we can socialize anyone.
Effective child rearing
- Monitor
o See what the child does
- Recognize
o Know the characteristics of low self control
- Punish
o Correct the behaviour
Why doesn’t this work all the time?
- Some parents don’t care about their children and don’t follow these rules
- Some parents do not have time to rear their kids like this (working a lot and are tired)
- Some parents do not recognize these things as wrong, or they do not recognize the long
term implications
- Some parents don’t correct their children’s behaviour
Document Summary
Role of genotype in the cycle of violence in maltreated children. This was a study done by caspi et. al. Children who suffer from child abuse tend to be violent later in life. Want to know if children have high levels of some neurotransmitter (maoa) if you have high levels you will be more likely to respond to a situation with antisocial behaviour. The gene by itself does not cause someone to be violent but if you include child abuse, then it does change and the person is likely to be violent. Low levels of maoa child abuse is more likely to lead to antisocial behaviour. High levels of maoa child abuse is less likely to lead to antisocial behaviour. If you do not have a bad environment the gene does not have an effect on you. Focus on why people do not engage in crime.
