DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES REVISITED

• NCJ Number: 17572
• Journal: Social Problems Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (SPRING 1973) Pages: 458-470
• Author(s): R ADAMS
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Study of Social Problems
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ANALYSIS ADDRESSES ITSELF TO A REVIEW OF SUTHERLAND'S DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY, AND A CRITIQUE OF A 1966 STUDY WHICH APPLIED OPERANT CONDITIONING PRINCIPLES TO DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION.

Abstract

DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS A SOCIOLOGICAL/LEARNING THEORY EXPLANATION OF INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND SOCIETAL CRIME RATES. ALTHOUGH THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY DISSEMINATED CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES, IT HAS REMAINED UNTESTED. THE 1966 PAPER BY BURGESS AND AKERS WHICH INCORPORATED OPERANT CONDITIONING PRINCIPLES WITH SUTHERLAND'S THEORY HAS OFFERED POSSIBILITIES FOR DIRECT EMPIRICAL TESTING OF THE ADEQUACY FO THE THEORY. THE AUTHOR CONTENDS, HOWEVER, THAT CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE PAPER REVEALS FUNDAMENTAL OVERSIGHTS OF SUCH A NATURE THAT THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH OPERANT CONDITIONING MAY BE MISLED. THE AUTHOR ALSO ARGUES THAT THE PAPER'S PROPOSITIONS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE OPERANT CONDITIONING DICTUM THAT VARIABLE BE RESTRICTED TO OBSERVABLE EVENTS. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION OF OPERANT CONDITIONING PRINCIPLES IN CRIMINOLOGY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)