Description
Both Edwin Sutherland and Ronald Akers argue that an individual’s views on criminal behavior are primarily influenced by close friends and family. “Virtual groups,” like mass media, video games and the Internet, can have a secondary influence. Do you think that Sutherland and Akers underestimate the influence of “virtual groups” in the age of Google? Explain why or why not.
Note: Your reflection should demonstrate a clear understanding of the key principles of social learning theory (such as differential association, differential reinforcement, definitions, operant conditioning, imitation).
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head: STUDENT’S NAME AND RED ID
Sutherland and Akers Social Learning Theory
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2
A reflection of social learning theory
Sutherland and Akers were the pioneers of the most prevalent and extensively explored
concept, known as the social learning theory. This philosophy elaborates on the methods through
which criminal behavior is absorbed. In the model, Sutherland and Akers argue that criminal
behavior has a high likelihood of manifestation when a person associates more with those
engaging in illegal activities than those who do not. According to the social learning theory, this
form of relationship offers more felonious than non-felonious character representation...