At the heart of the social learning approach to any kind of criminal behavior lies an assumption that “human behavior is learnt,” which back in 1941 was stated by theorists Miller & Dollard, who first proposed to merge sociology and psychology to solve social problems and coined the term “social learning” (Jensen, 2007). In other words, rather than being predetermined biologically, human law-breaking behavior is learnt. Law-breaking and law-abiding behavior are more common in particular circumstances or in particular social environment. In its attempt to explain why people commit crime, the social learning theory distinguishes such important aspects of social environment: its values, beliefs, norms, and technical knowledge; socializing forces (family, peer groups, school, church, etc); and the existing structure of opportunities to get involved into law-breaking behavior.
Based on Akers (1998), three main mechanisms through which law-breaking behavior happens are: differential association, differential reinforcement, and imitation. In differential association, the key component of law-breaking behavior is about interacting and associating with “bad friends” and getting exposed to their values and beliefs. In differential reinforcement, an individual engages in criminal behavior as a result of reinforcement (i.e. when crime is rarely punished and often reinforced). Imitation is another mechanism of social learning. An individual models the behavior of other people that he admires, and as a result he/she engages in criminal behavior.
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Although the social learning theory of criminal behavior is thought to be full of intricacies, it has been verified empirically. Sellers, Cochran, & Winfree’s (2003) research resulted in the findings that 33% of “courtship violence” against a partner in dating relationship was explained by following the example of peers using violence with partners. Thus, the social learning theory can explain how individuals get involved into crime.
- Akers, R. L. (1998). Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance. Boston: Northeastern University Press.
- Jensen, G. F. (2007). Social learning and violent behavior. In D. Flannery, A. Vazsonyi & I. Waldman, The Cambridge handbook of violent behavior and aggression. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
