Learning Theories

A Life of Crime?

• Could you go out tomorrow and begin a life of crime?

– What kind of crime would get into?

– How would you get started?

Learning Theory

• Criminal behavior is learned in a social context

• The main difference between criminals and non-criminals is what they have learned

Edwin Sutherland’s (1934)Differential Association Theory

1. Criminal behavior is learned…

2. In interaction with other people…

3. Particularly intimate groups (family and peers)

Differential Association Theory

4. Learning includesa. Techniques

b. Motives/drives

c. Rationalizations/attitudes

5. Criminals learn to define the legal code as unfavorable

The Heart of Differential Association Theory

6. Crime results from an excess of definitions favorable to law violations over definitions unfavorable to law violations (a ratio)

Differential Association Theory

7. Differential associations vary in

a. Frequency

b. Duration

c. Temporal priority

d. Intensity

Differential Association Theory

8. Learning crime is the same as learning anything else

9. Criminal and noncriminal behavior are the result of learned needs and values (desire for material success)

Refining Differential Association Theory

• Problem with Diff. Assoc. Theory– Learned attitudes -> behavior

• Differential Reinforcement Theory (Burgess, Akers)

Distinguishing Features ofDiff. Reinforcement Theory

• Differential Reinforcement– Lifetime balance of anticipated or actual

rewards and punishments -> probability of behavior

• Imitation

Overview• Differential Association Theory

(Sutherland)

• Differential Reinforcement Theory (Burgess and Akers)

Limits of Learning Theory

Ever Smoked Pot?Yes 69.4%

Smoke Pot Weekly?Yes 12.5%

How can we explain this?

Becker’s View• The motivation to get high regularly is

learned

• Users must learn to experience pot smoking as pleasurable

• Assumption: Users and non-users are fundamentally the same

Necessary Condition, 1• Learning the Technique

Necessary Condition, 2

• Learning to connect the drug to its effects

Necessary Condition, 3

• Learning to Enjoy the Effects

Why is s/he a pothead?

• Motivation to get high regularly is learned in the process of smoking

• No learning, no motivation, no regular pot smoking

Other Applications ofLearning Theory in Criminology