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Social Psychological Explanations of CB- AO3 - Coggle Diagram
Social Psychological Explanations of CB- AO3
Differential Association Theory
Supported by research evidence
Bandura's Bobo Doll Study. 3-6 yo's observed a role model playing aggressively or non-aggressively with a Bobo Doll. When left to play with the toys, those in the aggressive RM group modelled physical and verbal aggression towards the Bobo doll, and were more likely to play with toy guns even though not modelled. Non-aggressive group showed very little natural tendency towards aggressive play.
Suggests people have little natural inclination towards aggressive behaviour. Bandura's study supports DAT as it demonstrates that we learn aggressive/criminal behaviour through interactions with those who engage in such behaviour.
DAT cannot explain all crime
Crimes such as rape and murder are often impulsive and fuelled with rage or passion rather than developing over time through observing others and then trying out the behaviour for yourself.
Therefore DAT may only explain that CB develops overtime such as learning the motives and techniques to commit robbery. Alternative explanations, such as biological influences (.e.g. overactive amygdala or variants of the MAOA gene may need to be considered in order to explain sudden impulsive criminal behaviour.
Gender Socialisation
Reductionist Explanation
Dabbs found that inmates who committed violent crimes had the highest levels of testosterone, whereas most of the inmates with the lowest of testosterone had committed non-violent crime.
Suggests that different males commit different types of crime, and this can be explained by biological factors such as the effect of hormones rather than the socialisation process.
Are 95% of crimes actually committed by males
Pollack argues that men in the justice system (judges. police officers) tend to have a chivalrous attitude towards females (they are more protective and less severe). Police may be more likely to let an offender off or a judge may impose less harsh sentences.
This suggests that the official statistics which report that males commit more crime than females may be distorted. it could be that females commit as much/more crime but are treated more leniently by polices officers and judges etc. (CHIVALRY HYPOTHESIS).
Gender socialisation is outdated
Society has changed and gender roles no longer prevail. Many parents strive to avoid raising their children in stereotypical ways, and the media has aimed to represent males and females in a wider range of roles.
Suggests that GS may no longer offer a useful explanation in modern society.
Can be applied to modify CB
The Man Up Project is used in prisons and community settings and aims to challenge some of the attitudes and negative outcomes experienced by men as a result of wanting or needing to fulfill stereotypes and expectations. The programme is designed to support men to explore the ways in which the concept of masculinity contributes to shaping individual identity.
Adds validity to GS as an explanation of CB in males. It shows that the theory can be implemented in the real world by challenging some of the aggressive stereotypes males are socialised into. This then has useful implications for society and the economy in reducing CB.