Super Traits Theory Versus Social Learning Theory

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Recommended: Major theories of criminal behavior

Theories are comprehension methods that are used to determine the cause behind criminal activity. The theorists behind these theories help come to a conclusion on the structure of crime, the victims, and the offenders. The two theories addressed are Super Traits Theory and Social Learning Theory. The Super Traits Theory, by Robert Agnew, discusses five concepts (personality, family, school, peers, and work) that could possibly be the start of crime. Agnew argues that personality traits establishes a direct course as to how the other ideas react towards them. Ronald Akers’ Social Learning Theory discusses how people learn criminal behavior from their environment based on operant psychology. Although both Social Learning Theory and Super Traits Theory assists in the determination of crime, the different …show more content…

The violative behavior is differentially reinforced over behavior in conformity to the norm. (Differential reinforcement)
3. He or she is more exposed to and observes more deviant than conforming models. (Imitation)
4. His or her own learned definitions are favorable toward committing the deviant acts. (Excess of definitions) (pp.190).
Aided by Robert Burgess, Akers used differential reinforcement, a perception of operant psychology, to assure that criminal behavior was improved or reduced. With reinforcement, it is possible that behavior occurs continuously, if the predicament is somewhat similar; yet with punishment, certain behavior will be avoided and more than likely wouldn’t happen again. Applying operant psychology allowed Akers and his partner to see the way that individuals learn criminal behavior.
Discrimination is also a significant concept when dealing with the Social Learning Theory. It takes places before criminal behavior occurs. Discriminative stimuli are hints that help determine whether criminal behavior will be reinforced or followed by punishment. The clues indicate what criminal activity will be reinforced or punished.
Comparison

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