Social learning theory

Research Methods Social Learning theory Social Learning Theory The Social Learning Theory states: by combining variables that can encourage delinquency, deviant behavior can be exhibited. When you break up social learning, social means the interaction of organisms or humans with other humans. Learning is when you can acquire new or existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences. In the Social Learning Theory, Ronald Akers and Robert Burgess use Edwin Sutherland’s “ Differential Association Theory” to create their social learning theory to explain deviancy. The two believed that people could learn from other humans what was accepted as deviant/bad or non-deviant/not bad. If they acted deviant, they could learn from their consequences. By using the Social Learning Theory humans actually believed an increase of punishment unlike the labeling theory. In the early 1970s, people began to see an increase in the prisons with the number of inmates occupying them. When it comes to Juveniles, their abusers, and their learning ability, it affects their mental stability and in the future if they eventually start abusing others or committing crimes. My first assumption would be that juveniles that are exposed to deviant behavior through siblings or parents and would follow in their footsteps. The second assumption would be if a child was sexually or even emotional abused, that child would later on abuse someone else emotional or sexually. Juvenile Delinquency is when a child under the age of 17 gets themselves into illegal problems that turn them into criminals. While they continue to believe that they are criminals, they will continue to exhibit deviant behavior. These arguments can lead to the following propositions: 1) Juveniles who are exposed to deviant behavior may exhibit the same behavior in the future. 2) Juveniles who are abused emotionally or sexually may exhibit the same behavior to offspring or spouses in the future. 3) Juveniles who are taught to participate in delinquent behavior will continue to participate in delinquent behavior. The research will use the following working definitions: Dependent Variables: Deviant behavior after abuse: The behavior of the victim shown after the abuse had happened to him or her. Deviant behavior after exposure: The behavior of the juvenile shown after the exposure of criminal behavior. Independent Variables: Juvenile’s age: Juveniles age when abuse or criminal behavior was shown. Behavior before the abuse: Behavior of the victim before the abuse had happened to him or her. Behavior before the exposure: Behavior of the juvenile before the exposure of criminal behavior occurred. Operationalization: The levels of subjects’ behaviors and crime occurrences will be indicated by crime reports of an individual subject. By circling the number, indicate to what level of appropriateness you believe is true to the following scenarios. When circling please circle 10 being that you believe in completely true and 1 being completely false. If it is a check question please check the most appropriate answer. 1) Please select your gender ____ Male _____ Female _____ other If other please describe: 2) At what age group do you belong to? _____ 4-8 ________ 8-12 ______ 13-15 ________ 16-18 3) What is your ethnicity? ____White ____Black ____Asian ___Latino ____Other 4) In what city and state that you live in? 6) Who do you live with? _____ Both parents ______ Just mom _____ Just dad ______ Grandparents _______ Siblings_____ Grandparents _______ Foster Parents ______ Adopted Parents ______ Guardian/s ______ Other 7) How many siblings do you have? ____ 0 _____1 ______ 2 ______3 _____4 ______More than for ______ do not know 8) Are you a Gang Member? ______ Yes _______ No _________Considering It ______ Use to be 9) Has any one in your family/ friends been in a gang? ______ Mom _____ Dad _________ Siblings ______ Neighbors _______Best friend ________ Other people I know 12) Have you ever felt if you are not in a gang that you should join? Please explain 11) At what age did you start committing crime? ____4-8 _______ 9-12_____ 13-15 ______16-18 12) Have you ever committed any misdemeanor crimes? ___Yes ___No ___Unsure ___Do not feel like Answering 13) Have you ever committed any felony crimes? ___Yes ___ No ___ Unsure ___ Do not feel like Answering 14) How many crimes if you committed any do you think you have committed? ______ 1 _______ 2-4 _______ 5-7 ______ 7-9 _______ unsure ________lost count 15) Do you feel like you have to commit crimes due to the atmosphere around you? _____ yes _______ no _______ unsure 16) If yes who do you feel pressured by to commit such crimes? ______Family members ________Friends _______ Neighbors ______ Gang Members ________ Others 17) Why do you feel like you commit crime? On the space below please explain. 18) List all the crimes that you have committed in the space below please 19) If you could stop committing crime would you? ______ Yes ______ Yes but need help _______ No _________ Unsure 20) Would you like information/ help to help you stop committing crime? ____Yes _____ No _____ Unsure Deviant Behavior after abuse: After being abused, I believe it is okay to abuse offspring and/ or spouses? True or False After being abused, I have committed the same types of crime? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Deviant Behavior after exposure: After seeing siblings/friends/family members commit crimes I committed crimes? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Juveniles Age: Age the first time that you were exposed to criminal behavior or crime? 5-7 years old 8-10 years old 11-13 years old 14-17 years old Age that you were first sexually abused? 5-7 years old 8-10 years old 11-13 years old 14-17 years old Age that you were first emotionally abused? 5-7 years old 8-10 years old 11-13 years old 14-17 years old I have been exposed to _____ crimes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I have been sexually abused _____ times 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I have been emotionally abused ____times 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Behavior before the abuse: Before being abused I have committed _____crimes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Behavior before the exposure: Before being exposed to criminal behavior I have committed _____ crimes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Sources: Ormrod, J. E. (1999). Human learning (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: retrieved from http://teachnet. edb. utexas. edu/~lynda_abbot/Social. html Burgess, R. L., & Akers, R. L. (1966). A Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior. Social Problems, 14(2), 128-147 Retrieved from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Social_learning_theory