5. Social Learning Theory – Flashcards

Burgess and Akers expanded differential association and included elements of behavior theory and behavior modification. This expansion allowed them to identify the learning process, and included elements such as operant behavior, respondent conditioning, discriminative stimuli, and schedules of reinforcement.

One of the four main concepts of Akers's social learning theory. The process through which an individual rationalizes, evaluates, and assigns right and wrong. Definitions of the law may be general or specific. One may have the general view that the law needs to be obeyed, but a specific view that a 20-year-old who can fight in a war should be allowed to drink a beer. This person may follow the law in general, but violate the liquor law.

A theory of crime and delinquency developed by Sutherland. This is a social learning theory presented in nine steps. Criminality is basically the result of engaging in inappropriate behaviors exhibited by those with whom we interact. Also, one of the four main concepts of Akers's social learning theory. Akers retains the process of differential association, and expands upon it in his theory.

A modification of differential association theory. In this view, people commit criminal or delinquent acts if they believe that it will lead to acceptance by and approval of these important people in their lives.

One of the four main concepts of Akers's social learning theory. The concept refers to the potential rewards and punishments for committing or not committing a criminal or deviant act. This process includes a consideration of punishments and rewards that have been received in the past, as well as present and future rewards and punishments.

Internal or external factors or cues that aid an individual in determining an appropriate response to a given situation.

One of the four main concepts of Akers's social learning theory. Behavior modeled by others for an individual may be copied by that individual. Impressions of the individual doing the modeling, along with perceived risks and rewards, will factor into the imitation decision.

This refers to an individual escaping something painful such as a punishment or reprimand by committing a certain act.

This type of definition helps a person justify committing a crime by making it seem that although the act itself might be wrong, under certain conditions it is all right.

The view that voluntary actions and decisions made by an individual are influenced and shaped by punishments and rewards found in the external world.

This refers to an individual receiving something of value for committing a certain act. This may include things such as money, food, or approval.

This process is based upon differential association and often takes place in a group setting working with both offenders and non-offenders. This concept suggests that the offenders in such groups who join on the side of the non-offenders in attempting to get the other offenders to change their definitions favorable to law violation, actually wind up reducing their own definitions favorable to crime.

The exercise of self-control used by an individual to reinforce his or her own behavior, by seeing that behavior through the eyes of another.

In general, social learning theory proposes that both criminal and conforming behaviors are acquired, maintained, or changed by the same process of interaction with others. The difference lies in the conforming or deviant direction or balance of the social influences such as reinforcement, values and attitudes, and imitation.

This refers to the actual, perceived, expected, tangible, or intangible rewards or punishments conveyed upon an individual by society or a subset of society

A model proposed by Akers in which social structural factors have an indirect effect on an individual's actions through the social learning process.

The process by which two or more individuals share a commonly understood language or set of symbols. All individuals have the ability to incorporate other people's reactions into their own behavior and use those reactions as part of their own understanding of themselves. Example: You want to know how you look in a new outfit. Part of your understanding of how you look is going to be based upon how others respond to you. You have the ability to understand other people's facial reactions, body language, and verbal language in understanding how they view you. You then use this information when deciding if you look good in the outfit.