1. Social Psychological explanations of criminal behaviour
Big Picture
We have looked at biological theories and personality theories, could criminal behaviour be purely learnt in the environment?
Objectives for topic
To be able to describe two social psychological explanations of criminal behaviour
Differential Association Theory
Gender Socialisation
To be able to identify evidence supporting each explanation and evaluate the evidence.

2. FLIPPED BIT Make some notes on this

3. Lesson 1 Objectives
To understand the assumptions and aims of Social Psychology
To be able to describe Edwin Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory of criminal behaviour
Describe some supporting evidence for the theory

4. Some key terms and areas of interest within social psychology
Watch rolling show for an intro to social psychology!
Social influence
Obedience, conformity, social facilitation, crowd behaviour.
Social cognition
social identity, attitudes, attribution, stereotyping.
Social behaviour
Attraction, aggression, discrimination, helping.
Social development
Gender, self, attachment, social expectations, cultural influences.

5. Differential Association Theory
Some definitions
Differential – a difference, gap, inequality, variance etc.People’s experiences are differential according to circumstances, social background, identity, genes etc.
Associations – The people we spend time with, family, friends, colleagues, teachers.
Socialisation – how we learn norms and values from others through role modelling and sanctions (rewards and punishments)

6. Differential Association Theory
Main idea is.... The reason why some commit crime and some don’t is because of the differing people they associate with. Some of these people support the idea of crime and some don’t. Crime becomes more likely if these associations are frequent, over a long period of time and very close e.g family member. Therefore people are ‘socialised’ into criminal behaviour, it is learned socially.
TASK – On pg 98 make a note of the following according to Sutherland’s theory.
What is learned?
Who is it learned from?
How is it learned?
Consider the nine key principles on pg 98.

7. FLIPPED BIT
Edwin Sutherland was an American Sociologist and Criminologist who among other things wrote about White Collar Crime (changing the social view that the rich do not commit crime) In his book ‘The Principles of Criminology’ (1939) he first wrote about Differential Association Theory where criminal behaviours arise from associations with people who commit crime.
Task – Read Sutherland’s nine key principles of differential association on page 98 and find a way to remember them.

8. Lesson 2 Objectives
To be able to evaluate Differential Association Theory with supporting evidence
To evaluate the theory using criticisms and comparisons to other theories

9. Differential Association Theory
Evaluation task
What positive contribution did this theory make to criminology?
How does this evidence support DAT?
Osborn and West (1979)
Akers et al (1979)
What kind of studies are these? How can they be criticised?
Why is this theory insufficent to explain all types of crime?
What other factors/explanations could be considered?
Most crime is committed by young males – which theory could best explain this?

10. Flipped Bit Why are most crimes committed by males?
Is it biology? Is it Socialisation/learning? Is it that the criminal justice system is lenient towards women?
Google some statistics and find out
Prison population male/female ratio
Conviction rates for males and females for a particular crime e.g assault with a weapon
Search the Office of National Statistics - Crime

11. Lesson 3 Objectives
To describe the gender socialisation explanation of criminal behaviour
To identify statistics and research evidence which supports the theory

12. Gender Socialisation Definitions
Socialisation – process of passing on norms and values to others
Social Learning Theory – We learn behaviour through role modelling and imitation
Social Control – How behaviour is controlled through social expectations and sanctions
Patriarchy – Social system where most power is held by males
Chivalry – Action of being a ‘gentleman,’ treating women as the ‘fairer’ sex, as less threatening than males, in need of protection etc.

13. Task p. 100
Write a short paragraph explaining these ways that we are socialised differently. Explain in each how this could lead to more criminal behaviour. Include a theorist in each paragraph
Patterns of socialisation
Role Models
Differences in social control

14. Lesson 4 Objectives
To be able to evaluate gender socialisation as an explanation of criminal behaviour
To consider the biology of males and females as an alternative explanation

15. Evaluation task p. 101
Consider our first lesson and how crime statistics are collected. What is the dark figure of crime? How may this relate to this explanation?
How does the chivalry hypothesis contradict the theory of gender socialisation?
How could Otto Pollak’s argument be criticised?
Why might the gender difference in crime be even larger than statistics suggests?
According to Pat Carlen what influences sentencing of women?
Is the liberation of women affecting gender differences in crime?

16. Biology as an alternative explanation p.101
What evidence is there to suggest that higher levels of testosterone increases aggression?
Is this good scientific evidence which can explain crime?
Why would higher levels of oestradiol hormone found in women mean less criminal behaviour?
Research independently – drinking alcohol and testosterone levels

17. A grade extension
How could biological and social factors be combined to produce an explanation of criminal behaviour?
How might the gender socialisation explanation be applied to the modification of criminal behaviour?

18. Essay plan Outline two social psychological explanations of criminal behaviour (10)
Intro – Social Psychological approaches look at how criminal behaviour is learnt through socialisation rather than inherited through biology. This approach suggests that family and peers play a crucial role in whether people become offenders
One explanation from Edwin Sutherland is Differential Association theory – explain features in brief (Include evidence from Osborn and West)
Another explanation is that gender is a factor – explain some features of gender socialisation including gender norms, role models and social control (include Cohen, Oakley or Heidensohn)

19. Essay Plan ‘Analyse and evaluate two explanations of criminal behaviour (20)
Intro Brief definition of criminal behaviour and outline assumptions of individual differences such as personality or cognitive factors can explain criminal behaviour. However an alternative is that criminal behaviour is learnt in the environment through socialisation.
Individual Differences approach such as how cognitive distortions can affect how we react.
Explain Hostile attribution bias and outline evidence from Schonenberg and Justye (2014)
Evaluate the cognitive explanation
Analysis – What does this explanation suggest about criminals? How might this behaviour be modified?
Individual differences are not sufficient to explain all crime the social context should be considered. Explain Differential Association theory (sutherland)
Evaluate the theory and evidence
However this theory is also insufficent as it cannot account for all crime
Conc – Which explanation has the most convincing evidence?