Welcome to Criminal Psychology: The Social Learning Theory
In this chapter, we are going to explore a very famous idea in psychology: The Social Learning Theory (SLT). Have you ever noticed how younger siblings copy what their older brothers or sisters do? Or how you might pick up the slang your favorite YouTuber uses? That is "Social Learning" in action!
In the context of Criminal Psychology, we use this theory to understand why people might start committing crimes. Instead of being born a "criminal," this theory suggests that people learn to be one by watching the people around them. Don't worry if it sounds complicated; we will break it down step-by-step!
1. The Core Ideas of Social Learning Theory
The main "motto" of this theory is: We learn through observation and imitation.
A. Identification with Role Models
We don't copy just anyone. We usually copy people we look up to, called role models. You are more likely to identify with a role model if they are:
- Similar to you (e.g., the same gender or age).
- Powerful or high-status (e.g., a celebrity or a "cool" older kid).
- Someone you like or admire.
Example: A teenager might see a local gang leader as a role model because they have money and respect. The teenager starts to "identify" with them and wants to be like them.
B. Observation and Imitation
This is the "Monkey see, monkey do" part.
Observation is simply watching the behavior.
Imitation is the act of copying that behavior.
If a child observes a parent using violence to solve a problem, the child might imitate that same violence at school.
C. Vicarious Reinforcement
This is a big term, but it has a simple meaning. Vicarious reinforcement happens when you see someone else get rewarded for their behavior.
If you see a thief on a TV show get away with a "cool" heist and keep all the money, you see them getting a reward. You haven't been rewarded yourself, but seeing them win makes you more likely to copy them.
D. Direct Reinforcement and Internalisation
Once someone imitates a crime, what happens next?
- Direct Reinforcement: If the person commits a crime (like shoplifting) and gets a reward (like a new game), they are directly reinforced. They are now much more likely to do it again.
- Internalisation: Eventually, the behavior becomes a part of who they are. They no longer need a reward to do it; it has become "normal" to them.
Quick Review:
1. Role Model: Someone we look up to.
2. Observe: We watch them.
3. Vicarious Reinforcement: We see them get a reward.
4. Imitate: We copy them.
5. Direct Reinforcement: We get our own reward.
Key Takeaway: Criminal behavior isn't something people are always born with; it is often learned by watching others get rewarded for bad behavior.
2. Research Study: Cooper and Mackie (1986)
Psychologists use studies to prove their theories. For the Social Learning Theory, you need to know the study by Cooper and Mackie about video games and aggression.
Background
In the 1980s, people were worried that new, violent video games would make children more aggressive. Cooper and Mackie wanted to see if children would imitate the violence they saw in games.
The Method
- Design: Laboratory experiment (Independent measures).
- Sample: 84 children (aged 9-11) from New Jersey, USA.
- Procedure: The children were put into pairs. One child played a game, while the other watched. There were three types of games:
1. A violent game (Missile Command).
2. A non-violent game (Pac-Man).
3. A paper-and-pencil maze game (the control group).
After playing/watching, the children were taken to a playroom with different types of toys: "aggressive" toys (like a toy gun), "active" toys, and "quiet" toys. They were also asked to press a button that they thought would deliver a "punishment" or a "reward" to another child.
Results
- Girls who played the violent game spent much more time playing with the aggressive toys afterward.
- Boys’ aggression levels didn't change as much (they were already higher than girls' to begin with).
- Playing the violent game didn't affect the "punishment/reward" button task for either group.
Conclusions
The researchers concluded that playing violent games can lead to short-term increased aggression in children, especially girls. This supports the idea that children observe and imitate what they see on screen.
Criticisms (What was wrong with the study?)
- Biased Sample: The study only used children from one area in the USA. Can we say the same about children in the UK or older teenagers?
- Low Ecological Validity: A lab setting isn't like real life. Children might behave differently at home than in a psychology room.
- Difficult to Measure: Is playing with a toy gun the same as being a criminal? Some critics think "aggression" in a lab isn't the same as real-world crime.
Did you know? This study was done in 1986! Video games like Missile Command look very simple compared to games like Call of Duty today. Psychologists still debate whether modern, realistic games have a stronger effect.
3. Criticisms of Social Learning Theory
Even though SLT is very helpful, it isn't perfect. Here are the main things to remember for your exam:
A. The Nature vs. Nurture Debate
SLT is all about Nurture (our environment and how we are raised). It ignores Nature (our biology).
Some people might be more aggressive because of their genes or brain structure (like Eysenck’s theory suggests). SLT doesn't explain why two children can watch the same violent movie, but only one of them grows up to be a criminal.
B. It Doesn't Explain All Crimes
SLT works well for explaining things like "joining a gang" or "vandalism," which are social crimes. However, it’s harder to explain crimes that aren't copied, like crimes of passion or unique, opportunistic thefts where the person has never seen anyone do it before.
C. Individual Differences
The theory suggests we just "copy" what we see, but humans have free will. We can watch a role model do something bad and decide, "I don't want to be like that." SLT can be a bit too simple by suggesting we are just like robots who copy everything.
Memory Aid: "The Three Is"
To remember the flaws of SLT, think of I.N.S.:
I - Ignores biology.
N - Nurture only (forgets nature).
S - Simple (ignores free will).
Key Takeaway: SLT is a "Nurture" theory. While it's great at explaining how we learn from others, it often forgets that our biology and our own choices also play a part in our behavior.
Final Summary Checklist
Can you explain these 5 things? If so, you're ready!
1. Role Models: Who we copy.
2. Observation/Imitation: Watching and doing.
3. Vicarious Reinforcement: Learning from someone else’s reward.
4. Cooper and Mackie: The video game study showing children copy aggression.
5. Nature vs Nurture: The main argument against SLT.