SOCIALIZATION, LEARNING AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IMPLICATIONS FOR ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (FROM PUNISHMENT - PERSPECTIVES IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY, 1977, BY ISABELLE COLLORA ET AL - SEE NCJ-56676)

• NCJ Number: 56679
• Author(s): K A SLAIKEU
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Texas at Arlington
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF LEARNING AND SOCIALIZATION WHICH LEAD TO CRIMINALITY ARE DISCUSSED, AND THE EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEPRIVATION ON THIS PROCESS ARE CONSIDERED.

Abstract

STUDIES POINT TO THE FACT THAT WHILE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN ACROSS CULTURES AND RACES ARE SIMILAR IF NOT IDENTICAL, THE LEARNING AND SOCIALIZATION PROCESS PRODUCES DIVERGENT BEHAVIOR PATTERNS BETWEEN AND WITHIN CULTURES, DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE INFLUENCES AFFECTING BEHAVIORAL LEARNING. THE LEARNING PROCESS ESSENTIALLY OCCURS WITHIN A FORMAT OF REWARDS AND NONREWARDS OR PUNISHMENTS. THE INFANT AND CHILD SEEK PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PLEASURE AND INSTINCTIVELY ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOR THAT MAXIMIZES PLEASURE. THE AUTHORITY FIGURES AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF A GIVEN CHILD'S WORLD DETERMINE THE REWARDS AND NONREWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS EXPERIENCED FOR PARTICULAR BEHAVIORS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A CHILD CAN GET A TOY HE WANTS BY STEALING IT FROM A PLAYMATE OR BULLYING HIM UNTIL HE GIVES IT UP TO HIM, WITHOUT RECEIVING AN OVERRIDING CONSEQUENCE OF PUNISHMENT OR PAIN, THE BEHAVIOR WILL BE REPEATED BECAUSE OF THE REWARDS OBTAINED. IF, IN ADDITION TO PUNISHMENT, ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIORS FOR GAINING TOYS, SUCH AS DOING CHORES OR ASKING POLITELY TO SHARE IN PLAYING WITH A NEIGHBOR'S TOY, ARE TAUGHT, THEN THE CHILD LEARNS TO OBTAIN REWARDS THROUGH A MORE COMPLEX, DISCIPLINED PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR. BEHAVIOR IS NOT ONLY LEARNED THROUGH THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS APPLIED IN PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS ALSO LEARNED THROUGH MODELING AND IMITATION OF THOSE FOR WHOM THE CHILD HAS AN AFFINITY, ENVY, OR RESPECT. A STRUCTURE OF PUNISHMENT WITHOUT REWARDS FOR APPROVED BEHAVIOR IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN COUNTERACTING UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. IT MAY CAUSE IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF THE BEHAVIOR, BUT IT WILL BE RESUMED IN A MORE SECRETIVE FORM, UNLESS ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIORS CAN BE LEARNED THAT WILL PROVIDE THE DESIRED REWARDS. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEPRIVATION, GLARINGLY EVIDENCED IN POVERTY AND RACISM, GREATLY RESTRICT THE REPERTOIRE OF REWARDS AVAILABLE FOR BEHAVIOR APPROVED BY THE DOMINANT AND AFFLUENT, SUCH THAT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BY THE POOR AND OPPRESSED IS PERCEIVED BY THEM TO BE THE MOST VIABLE APPROACH FOR MAXIMIZING THEIR PLEASURE. ANY ATTEMPTS AT BEHAVIORAL CHANGE MUST ESTABLISH THAT THE CULTIVATION OF CERTAIN WORK HABITS AND PATTERNS OF SOCIALIZATION WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT REWARD. (RCB)