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Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory
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Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory
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Differential Association-Reinforcement theory was created in 1939 by Edwin Sutherland, and later revised in 1947.
Who?
According to the textbook, “Briefly, the theory states that people learn to commit deviant acts through interpersonal interaction with their social environment” (Page 92)
Why?
Sutherland created this theory to discuss the connection between deviant behavior and interpersonal relationships. This can include factors such as how close you are to someone, how often you interact with them, immediate family, your peers, and more. Interpersonal relationships are very important as you develop in life, but the effects can be both good and bad.
Say you are a young teen with little access to food and care. You have some peers that often steal from local stores and gas stations to feed themselves. You may know it is wrong (or you may not, depending on the situation), but since it is a common action that has become "common" or frequent in your day to day life, it is something you are more susceptible to doing.
Example #1
Example #2
Say you are the child of two addicts/alcoholics. You have grown to realize that they use drugs/alcohol as a coping mechanism to stress and negative feelings. As you grow older, you fall into these deviant behaviors as well to deal with your own stress and emotions. This could be because you were never taught how to cope in healthy ways, and this was the action that was showed to you while you were developing and learning.
Substance Abuse
As I mentioned in my last slide, substance abuse can become connected to this theory. It is a common saying to "not become the product of your own environment", especially when you come from a family of addicts or surround yourself with deviant peers. Drug use may be seen as "socially acceptable" when you are exposed to them and the effects of them, but on the outside it is deviant behavior. Areas that are high in drug use can also show an inflation in criminal activity due to lack of resources and funds. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 750,000 crimes were committed involving individuals being under the influence of alcohol or drug use in 2007. (Providence Recovery Services, 2019)
Substance Abuse
This theory does not mean that your destiny is written for you, it just shows the effects that interpersonal relationships can have on deviant behavior and criminal activity. “The theory does not merely state that being associated with criminals leads to crime or that being associated with law-abiding persons leads to conforming behavior. It is the nature, characteristics, and balance of the differential association that affect an individual’s likelihood of violating the law.” (Social Learning Theory, n.d.)
Resources
Resources
Providence Recovery Services. (2019). How Are Addiction and Crime Rates Correlated? Providence Recovery. https://www.providence-recovery.com/blog/how-are-addiction-and-crime-rates-correlated
Social Learning Theory. (n.d.). Criminal Justice. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from http://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/criminology/theories/social-learning-theory/#google_vignette
Bartol, C., & Bartol, A. (2016). Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach (11th ed.). Pearson.