Differential Association Theory Assignment Help

Differential Association Theory Assignment Help

The differential association theory is a criminal theory Which proposes that with the help of interaction with individuals, people often learn attitudes, motives, values and techniques that are inclined towards criminal behaviour. It is one of the most famous learning theories of deviance.  With the help of this theory, one could learn to understand how individuals become a criminal, however not concerning itself with the reasons as to why they become criminals. It is closely associated to interactionist perspective, for it is through interaction that individuals exchange ideas and values which helps them building their own perceptions and grow into forming the bigger picture in the society, be it a normal perspective or a criminal mind. It is through a learning process that individual learn how to plan a criminal act and subsequently carry it forward successfully. It is through interaction that people learn attitude of criminal deviance, motives, a drive to commit a crime and rationalisation of such action. with the help of such criminally motivating interaction that individual finds it socially easier to commit a crime. This motivation is a process where the individual goes through a cultural transmission and construction. It is through social construction that people build and rebuilds himself, and gradually pushing himself towards deviant behaviour. Although the theory does not concern itself as to why the individual does so, yet records the process by which the individual gradually indulgence in criminal deviance.

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Main concept of the Differential Association Theory

The main concept of the differential association theory stands on the perception that it is through interaction with one another That people learn attitudes, motives, values and techniques that are inclined towards criminal behaviour. Therefore, the main factor of this theory is human interaction which facilitates exchange of thoughts, values, Ideas, motives, techniques better often encouraging criminal deviance.  It is through a learning process that individual learn how to plan a criminal act and subsequently carry it forward successfully. It is through interaction that people learn attitude of criminal deviance, motives, a drive to commit a crime and rationalisation of such action. with the help of such criminally motivating interaction that individual finds it socially easier to commit a crime. The differential association theory is a criminal theory Which proposes that with the help of interaction with individuals, people often learn attitudes, motives, values and techniques that are inclined towards criminal behaviour. It is one of the most famous learning theories of deviance.  With the help of this theory, one could learn to understand how individuals become a criminal, however not concerning itself with the reasons as to why they become criminals.

Sociologist Edwin Sutherland was the first individual to propose the differential association theory in 1939, naming it as a learning theory of deviance. He had convincingly stated that criminal behaviour is majorly influenced through human interaction where they learn values attitudes motives and techniques of such criminal deviance.  it is an extremely important theory in the field of criminology even though it has been highly criticised by different sociologists and criminologists stating that the theory majorly fails to take was not traits of individuals into account.

Principles of Differential Association Theory

Edwin Sutherland’s theory of differential association Is not concerned with the fact as to why individuals become a criminal but it focuses on how it happens. In order to Lay down the essential requisites of the differential association theory, the following principles have been proposed

• Criminal behaviour is perceived through learning.
• Such process of learning occurs when there is an interesting interaction between people by virtue of the process of communication.
• Such crucial communication primarily takes place between intimate personal groups and relationships that are criminal or offensive in nature.
• In this process of learning criminal behaviour, individuals pick up motives, techniques and the aspect of rationalisations in order to justify their criminal actions and approach.
• Interpretation of legal texts and norms, especially in context to the geographical location of the potential offender, Helps in teaching the drives and motives of the criminal behaviour.
• An individual makes the decision to be a criminal when his perceptions supporting violation of law wins over his reasons not to do so.
• However, every form of differential associations is not the same as day very with varying duration of interaction, intensity, frequency and priority as applied by the potential offender.
• The process of perceiving criminal behaviour through interaction however follows the same process by which individuals learn other kinds of behaviour.
• Although criminal behaviour could be a reason for the needs and values of the potential offender, yet such reason is also applicable to Non-criminal behaviour of people.

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Examples of Differential Association Theory

An individual turns out to be a criminal as a result of his frequent criminal behaviour or gesture that he has shown to Learning different other cultural approaches. To set an example, when an individual is constantly exposed to continuous criminal scenarios and ideas it is most likely that the person shall pick up such criminal approach sooner or later.  Even though the duration, frequency, intensity and priority of such deliration of criminal behaviour may vary from one case of differential association to another.

An adolescent who has lost the scope of receiving guidance from his parents, which is a place of positive concern and discipline, holds the potential to exhibit criminal behaviour as a result of interacting with and learning from people who are already known for their criminal behaviour. it is obvious that such influence does not occur as a result of a single interaction, but certainly comprises a series of Interaction which are heavily back to with notions of criminal deviance. In this instance, the differential association theory shall be interested to focus on how the person grew up to be a criminal right from his adolescence, while paying no attention to why such individual became a criminal.