1. Lanyards/targets?

2. Psychological explanations

3. Lesson objectives Differential Association Theory Recap Freud's theory
Apply to criminal behaviour
Consider the strengths and weaknesses of this explanation

4. Psychological explanations of offending behaviour
Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory (DAT)

5. Learning from others
The main point of differential association is that when people mix with others, they absorb a common interpretation of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour for that group. The ‘associations’ are the social associations a person makes; they are ‘differentiated’ according to that particular person. The following slides identify some of the key aspects of Sutherlands theory.

6. Criminal behaviour is learned.
Criminal behaviour is learned in interaction with other people in a process of communication (connects with 1st point)
The main part of the learning of criminal behaviour happens in close personal groups (Friends/family who are close to them have largest influence)
When criminal behaviour is learnt, the learning includes: (a) how to commit the crime (b) the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes (reasons why)
The specific direction of the motives and drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favourable or unfavourable. (Groups of people may see some laws as pointless, acceptable to break e.g. underage drinking/illegal downloading)

7. A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions favourable to violation of law over definitions unfavourable to violation of law
This is the principle of differential association.
(Individuals become criminal due to repeated contacts with criminal
activity and lack of contact with non-criminal activity)
Differential associations (number of contacts with criminals over non-criminals) may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.
The process of learning criminal behaviour by association with criminal and anti-criminal patterns involves all of the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning.
General ‘need’ does not explain criminal behaviour as many people share the same general needs but do not engage in criminal behaviour.

8. Akers et al (1979)
Tested social learning theory and differential association theory
Snapshot survey of drinking and drug taking among approx 2,500 male and females adolescents in the Midwest USA
Found the most predictive variable was found to be differential association and within that, the specific factor of differential peer association was the single most important variable.
Supports theory = differential associations and definitions of acceptable/unacceptable behaviour are key to understanding why young people develop deviant behaviours.
Conclusions: Friends are important as they provide social reinforcement for our behaviour and norms by which we define particular behaviours as acceptable/unacceptable

9. Only need a short evaluation for DAT
L: too general and although similar to SLT, no details as to the cognitive thought processes that underpin (e.g. ARRM)
Is it outdated?
1939 – very influential of the time where deviance and delinquency was high and unexplained… not necessarily the same today
Any supporting research?
L: Is it too simplistic?
Alarid et al – found the theory a good general explanation especially in men
L: Is it a detailed explanation for all crimes?
L: any crime that is a one off it cannot account for as these crimes are not influences by others
Any I & D you could link to this explanation?
Reductionist
Deterministic
Nurture
Nomothetic
Does it allow for explanation of crimes within 1 particular area?
THINK ABOUT:
Nature – nurture
Determinism v Free Will
Reductionism v multiple causation
Crime is ‘socially constructed’?
Theory considers behaviour from social-psychological perspective…..this means?
Perhaps in certain neighbourhoods it could be applied but again not to all areas… high crime usually in urban areas – this theory allows the understanding of how crime becomes so widespread in these areas

10. Essay plan x2
Available on the website to help you structure essays when revising Discuss cognitive explanations for offending. Refer to at least one other explanation of offending in your answer (16marks)

11. Psychological explanations- Psychodynamic Explanation

12. 3 aspects to the personality
Freud suggested that there are 3 aspects to the personality
The id
The ego
The superego
Annotate the handout with as much as you can remember

13. The id
You are born with this part of the personality and it therefore develops first
It is the instructive part of our personality – it can be very demanding!
It is often referred to as the “I want
An infant will demand for its needs to be satisfied
It is important to know that the id works on the pleasure principle
I want it now... not worries about the consequence
Food
Nappy change
etc

14. The ego The ego develops next
It is the rational part of the personality because it works on reality principles
The ego tries to satisfy the needs of the id (I want) with realistic ways to achieve these desires
The ego is YOU.. tries to meet the needs of the id, by getting the food etc

15. The superego The superego develops last, around 4 years old
It works on the morality principle
It’s the “you can’t have that” part of the personality
The superego is your conscience given to you by parents, rules, society etc.
Example:
Eating healthy in a supermarket
Spontaneous decisions…you weigh up the cost. What spontaneous decisions have you made recently?

16. It is the job of the ego to find a balance between the id and the superego

17. Explaining criminality – HOW?!
Inadequate Superego.
A healthy superego is like a kind but firm internal parent; it has rules but is also forgiving of transgressions.
An individual with a healthy superego will feel guilt for behaving badly meaning they are unlikely to act in a way that would affect others in an adverse way.
The superego is rewarded with feelings of pride and satisfaction for good, moral behaviours.
In criminals the Superego is weak or deficient.
The superego can be inadequate in 3 ways:

18. Inadequate Superego: the weak superego
caused by an absent same sex-parent in the phallic stage
If the same-sex parent is absent during the phallic stage, the child cannot internalise a fully formed superego as there is no opportunity for identification.
This leaves the individual to be dominated by their ID impulses (the ID acts on pure selfish, pleasure) and leads to immoral or criminal behaviour being more likely

19. Inadequate Superego: The Deviant Superego
Caused by the internalisation of an immoral superego from deviant parents If the superego that the child internalises has immoral or deviant values this would lead to offending behaviour. For example, a boy that is raised by a criminal father is not likely to experience guilt for any wrongdoings.

20. Over-harsh Superego
The over-harsh Superego - causes the person to become anxious and guilty by nature, causing them to unconsciously seek punishment and do so by committing criminal acts
OR by preventing the release of anxiety through defence mechanisms (due to guilt) causing an overabundance of unresolved conflicts to occur, overwhelming the ego, and being expressed in extreme criminal behaviour.

21. A second theory focuses on the lack of a mother to attach to during infancy leading to criminal behaviour, specifically affectionless psychopathy.
Thinking back to attachment, what theory is this?
Who’s theory was it?
What research was done into it?

22. Maternal Deprivation
Bowlby proposed that the ability to form meaningful social relationships in adulthood was dependent on a close, warm and continuous relationship with the mother in the first few years.
Since this relationship acts as the prototype for all future relationships, its disruption would impair the person’s ability to relate to others.
This could result in a condition Bowlby called ‘affectionless psychopathy’.

23. Task: Using your attachment pack
Outline Bowlby (1944) 44 Thieves study in terms of…
Aim/Hypotheses-
Procedure-
Results-
Conclusions-
Are there any additional evaluation points that you can add to your evaluation?

24. Maternal Deprivation support
Bowlby 1944
44 juvenile thieves study
Reported that 39 per cent of a group of juvenile delinquents has experienced significant disruption to their attachments, compared to only 5 per cent of a non- delinquent group.

25. Essay plan x2
Available on the website to help you structure essays when revising Outline and compare two explanations for offending. Refer to evidence in your answer. (Total 16 marks)

26. Plenary
EXTENSION – answer the questions in your pack Make a revision document (poster, mindmap, cards etc) on the EXPLANATIONS FOR OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR

27. Biological explanations
an historical approach (atavistic form)
Genetic explanations
Neural explanations
Psychological explanations
Cognitive explanations
Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality
Differential association theory
Psychodynamic explanations
cognitive distortions, including hostile attribution bias and minimalisation
level of moral reasoning

28. Discuss the biological explanations of offending behaviour (16 marks)
Marking and Improving
Discuss the biological explanations of offending behaviour (16 marks)
Using the mark scheme, how many marks would you give this answer?
Suggest 3 improvements