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Social learning theory and crime

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Bandura's Social Learning Theory (1977) says we do not need to be rewarded ourselves: we can learn criminal behaviour by watching other people.

Key terms

Role model: a person we look up to and may copy, often similar to us (same sex, age) or high status. Family members, friends and celebrities can all be role models.
Identification: feeling a connection with a role model and wanting to be like them, so we take on their behaviour and attitudes.
Modelling: the role model shows a behaviour, and the observer imitates (copies) it.

Learning by watching

Observational learning: learning by watching others. Bandura described four steps: attention (noticing the behaviour), retention (remembering it), reproduction (being able to do it) and motivation (having a reason to do it).
Vicarious reinforcement: seeing a role model being rewarded for a behaviour makes us more likely to copy it. If we see them punished, we are less likely to.
Applied to crime: a younger brother sees his older brother praised by friends for stealing, identifies with him and copies the theft.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths: it explains why crime often runs in families and peer groups. It is supported by Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961), where children copied an aggressive adult. It explains learning without direct reward, which operant conditioning cannot.
Weaknesses: not everyone who sees crime becomes a criminal, so other factors (such as personality or biology) matter. It is hard to prove which role model caused a behaviour. Charlton et al (2000) found little change in children's behaviour after TV arrived on St Helena, suggesting watching others does not always lead to copying.
Worked example

Explain how vicarious reinforcement could lead a teenager to start shoplifting.

  1. The teenager watches a friend shoplift and sees the friend gain new clothes and admiration.
  2. Seeing the model rewarded is vicarious reinforcement, which makes copying more likely.

Answer: Seeing a role model rewarded for shoplifting motivates the teenager to imitate the behaviour.

Key idea

Social Learning Theory says crime can be learned by observing role models we identify with. Vicarious reinforcement (seeing a model rewarded) makes imitation more likely. It explains crime in families and peer groups, but not why many observers never offend.

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