Social Process Theory Analysis

According to our textbook, criminologists that advocate social process theory believe that “most people are shaped by their interactions with social institutions such as schools and with social groups, such as family, peers, and neighbors.” (Siegel, 2011 p.168). Social process theory is divided into three branches, social learning theory, social control theory and social reaction theory. Social learning theory, also known as differential association theory, was initially defined by Edwin H. Sutherland and later, after his death, his associate Donald Cressey continued his work. Differential association theory states “that people have a greater tendency to deviate from societal norms when they frequently associate with individuals who

First, and foremost, crime is a learned behavior. Crime is the same as any non-deviant habit or behavior; it is taught to us by others who engage in said behavior. Second, criminal behavior is learned as a by-product of interacting with others. According to Sutherland and Cressey, an individual doesn’t just embark on a spontaneous life of crime. They are taught these behaviors by others already living a criminal lifestyle, and this teacher becomes a mentor teaching him the intricacies of committing deviant behavior. Third, learning criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups. Youths tend to spend significant portions of their time with their friends and family members, as such they tend to influenced by the attitudes and actions of those with whom they spend the bulk of their time. Fourth, learning criminal behavior involves assimilating the techniques of committing a crime, including motives, drives, rationalization and attitudes. During the learning process, not only does the young criminal learn effective techniques for criminal behavior, such as hotwiring a vehicle, or selling stolen items, they also learn how to react in different situations, essentially, when to run, when

Building on the culture conflict, when the criminal is faced with the judgment of others, how they perceive his behavior will directly affect his perception of his criminal activity. If met with admiration for his skills or his bravado when committing criminal acts, he will assimilate these positives. If met with scorn and negative, derisive judgment about his criminal acts, he may begin to rethink his criminal nature. Seventh, differential associations may vary in frequency, duration, priority and intensity. These four things, frequency, duration, priority, and intensity, have a direct effect on any behavior, deviant or not. The more we are exposed to something, the more normal the activity begins to seem. So, if a criminal is surrounded by other criminals for an extended amount of time, and the behaviors he is most exposed to are deviant behaviors, then the likelihood of assuming those deviant behaviors increases drastically. Eighth, the process of learning criminal behavior by association with criminal and anticriminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning process. Essentially, this states that the same