SOC227 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Differential Association, Social Learning Theory, Edwin Sutherland
24 Dec 2015
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Part c: lecture 2 - social process theories. Social process theories: criminality function of individual socialization. Key assumption: all people (regardless of race, gender, class) potential to become criminals. Branches of social process theory: social learning theory, control theory, labeling theory, social learning theory: Crime product of learning the norms, values and behaviours associated with criminal activity. Learning actual techniques: e. g. , hot-wire car; roll a joint. Psychological aspects o e. g. , how to deal with guilt/shame. Most prominent forms of social learning theory: differential association theory (edwin sutherland) Challenges assertions that: crime a function of the inadequacy of people within the lower class, crime stems from individual traits. Argues instead that: crime is a politically defined construct. In interaction with other persons in a process of communication: criminal behavior is learned (not inherent) 2: principal part of learning criminal behaviour occurs within intimate personal groups (v. media)
