Differential Association Theory

Differential Association Theory

Differential Association Theory, created by Edwin Sutherland, is a theory in learning behavior based on social learning theory. It proposes that by interacting with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior (Casella, 2020). Sutherland suggests that every person has criminal and non-criminal associations. He further means that one chooses to follow a criminal path if the criminal associations outweigh the non-criminal associations (TRS Psychology, n.d.). Consequently, if the criminal associations outweigh the non-criminal associations, then offending behaviors (deviance) occur, and vice versa is true.

Deviance can be described as a violation of social norms. Social norms are rules and guidelines governing a particular community or group. In accordance with Differential Association Theory, an individual acquires these rules and procedures governing the community by interacting with other individuals. For instance, knowing how and when to use courteous expressions, including; “excuse me” and “thank you,” can be learned by interacting with another person, such as a friend.

Similarly, deviant activities can be learned by having intimate criminal associations with other individuals. This learning includes the techniques of committing the crime. A perfect example is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying includes posting offending and hateful remarks about an individual on social media platforms. In most cases, this deviant activity may start from just one nasty comment from one individual, and then more comments from other persons follow as the issue grows more trending. By participating in this form of crime, concerned individuals learn the motive, which includes a major trend, more views, and followers that bring about the feeling of social dominance.

In summary, the Differential Association Theory is essential in the explanation of deviance. This is because deviance in itself revolves around the violation of social norms; social norms of a particular group can be learned by interacting with individuals of that specific group, thus avoiding offending behaviors.

References

Cassella, K. (2020). Social Work and Deviant Behavior. Eastern Gateway Community College.

TRS Psychology. (n.d.). Differential Association Theory.https://youtu.be/LP4Ay2bl6Uc

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Differential Association Theory

Application of Theory: Provide two examples of how the Differential Association Theory explains deviant behavior. Be sure to provide two examples with explanations.