Social learning theory was first developed by Robert L. Burgess and Ronald L Akers in 1966 (Social Learning theory, 2016). In 1973, Akers wrote a book entitled Deviant Behaviour: A Social Learning Approach, which discussed Aker’s conception of the social learning theory. He developed social learning theory by extending Sutherland’s theory of differential association (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is based on the principles of Pavlov’s operant and classical conditioning. Akers believes that crime is like any other social behavior because it is learned through social interaction (Social Learning theory, 2016). Social learning theory states that the probability of an individual committing a crime or engaging in criminal behaviour is increased when they differentially associate with others who commit criminal behavior (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is classified as a general theory of crime, and has been used to explain many types of criminal behaviour (Social Learning theory, 2016). Furthermore, social learning theory is one of the most tested contemporary theories of crime. There are four fundamental components of social learning theory; differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement and imitation (Social Learning theory,
But in ted's case we could use the term “little” loosely. Bundy became fascinated with knifes at the age of only 3 years old. ted once took knifes and assembled a circle of them around his aunt while she was sleeping which was a really macabre sight.(bio.com np). So ted was intrigued by knives since he was 3 and that kept with him his whole life. At the age of 7 ted began having behavioral issues at school with other kids. As ted got older he began to drift away from the social world and by the time he was high school he had no self confidence and was unable to react to social problems. This was due to the break up with his first girlfriend. So after his break up he couldn't assimilate to the high school social world as well as he's had in the past. As time went on Ted Bundy started to kill women. These women all looked like his first girlfriend from high school. Ted bundy ending up killing over 100 women during his killing spree.
Ted Bundy is without a doubt one of the most notorious serial killers America has ever known. Active from 1974 to 1978, Ted Bundy has been linked to at least 36 murders but it is widely believed that he slaughtered more than 100 women. Ted Bundys victims were sexually assaulted then slaughtered. The locations of his kills were Washington, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Florida, Idaho, and Vermont.
Some scholars have argued that during the developmental years of childhood such impulses are absent. Moreover, it is during the period known as puberty that such process is more prevalent, and therefore manifests itself in behaviors such as attractions to one and other (Freud, 2015). In other words, the argument is that children are not aware of sex or sexual behavior until they have reached the age of puberty. Today, it appears that the argument is still being made that men and women develop desires at and every age, however, such impulses are not acceptable until they reach a certain age bracket. During his final interview, Ted Bundy provided some revealing details about his childhood. He explain that he believed that some of his compulsions were associated with pornography which he had seen in his youth. However, he was able to control his behavior until he had graduated college (Nelson, 1994). This statements inferred that Bundy was able hold back his desires for a number of years. However, some researchers have argued that Bundy’s behavior was triggered after his relationship had ended with his college sweetheart. Bundy never revealed his true motives for his attacks that consisted in savagely raping and latter beating his victims to
Similarly, the social learning theory explains Wilson’s criminal history. Wilson learned criminal behavior from his neighbors and family members. Wilson has an older brother named Uzziah Wilson that has been arrested numerous times for gun possession, assault, and drug charges. Wilson grew up thinking criminal behavior is the only way to succeed in life.
Charney-Perez, J. (2005, April 1). “History of Serial Killers”. Serial Killers. Retrieved April 23, 2014, http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/spring05/charney-perez/history.htm
Behavior and social learning are two theories that are inherently intertwined. Behavior to some extent is taught for social reasons, and social learning can very much shape and create behaviors. While behavior is something intentionally taught, social learning can teach and reinforce many unintentional behaviors, such as dishonesty or aggression. In order to adequately discuss these two interrelated topics, theory exploration is in order.
...words of Ted Bundy, one of the most ruthless serial killers of our time: "Most serial killers are people who kill for the pure pleasure of killing and cannot be rehabilitated. Some of the killers themselves would even say so" (qtd. in Holmes and Deburger 150).
Tio Hardiman, the creator of the Violence Interrupters Program, said, “You can give them a history lesson. Your daddy was violent, your granddaddy was violent, and your great granddaddy was violent. And now your brothers are messed up because you misled them” (James et al., 2012). He is describing how violence is a learned behavior from your family and close peers. Hardiman goes on to tell a little about his own family’s history with violence. When he was fourteen, a man tried to hurt him in the streets, but his stepfather killed the man right in front of him, and he recalls feelings good about it. This family taught him violence was okay through their own
But what many didn’t know, by the time he was 15, he was already an accomplished shoplifter. As his darker self started to surface, he roamed the streets late at night to peer into the windows of young woman to watch them undress. Bundy was also a heavy drinker and enjoyed looking at violent porn magazines which he later claimed was associated with what drove him into fantasizing and taking action in the killings. He “has met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence… and without exception, without questions, every one of them was deeply involved in
Introduction: On the spectrum of criminal activity, serial killers are rather rare. Rarer still is a serial killer like Ted Bundy. Bundy confessed to killing 28 women in the 1970s in ghastly fashion and some believe he may have killed far more. It is hard to imagine what could cause any person to cross the mental boundary into such macabre behavior as Bundy perpetrated. Nevertheless, it is important to try to understand that behavior because only though such an understanding would society be able to identify and deter mass murderers in order to save lives.
Through Social Learning Theory, an individual can be studied based on the behavior acquired by a role model. Verbal conditioning procedures and observation influences the response to an individual’s personality. Environment factors contribute to the Social Learning Theory. Antisocial model is a major contribute to crime, which influences negative characteristics. The Social Leaning Theory has three core social concepts the must be followed: observational learning, intrinsic reinforcement and modeling process.
High crime rates are an ongoing issue through the United States, however the motivation and the cause of crime has yet to be entirely identified. Ronald Akers would say that criminality is a behavior that is learned based on what an individual sees and observes others doing. When an individual commits a crime, he or she is acting on impulse based on actions that they have seen others engage in. Initially during childhood, individuals learn actions and behavior by watching and listening to others, and out of impulse they mimic the behavior that is observed. Theorist Ronald Akers extended Sutherland’s differential association theory with a modern viewpoint known as the social learning theory. The social learning theory states that individuals commit crime through their association with or exposure to others. According to Akers, people learn how to be offenders based on their observations around them and their association with peers. Theorist Akers states that for one, “people can become involved in crime through imitation—that is by modeling criminal conduct. Second, and most significant, Akers contended that definition and imitation are most instrumental in determining initial forays into crime” (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2011:57). Although Akers’ theory has been linked to juvenile delinquency in the past, it has also been tested as a possible cause of crime overall. Individuals learn from observation that criminal behavior is justifiable in certain circumstances. In connection with juvenile delinquency and crime, peers and intimate groups have the most effect on individuals when associated with criminal behavior. One is more likely to mimic the behavior of someone who they have close ties with, whether the behavior is justifiable or...
Akers and Sellers (2013) has stated that social learning theory is an expanded theory of differential association processes and improves it with differential reinforcement and other principles of the behavior theory. They added classical conditioning (the sharpening of involuntary reflex behavior); discriminative stimuli (internal stimuli that lead to signals for behavior); schedules of reinforcement (rewards and punishment ratio following behavioral feedback); and other theories of behavior (Akers & Sellers, 2013).