DEVIANCE

This theory holds that deviance is learned in much the same way that lawful or
conforming behaviors are learned. According to the theory, each person is surrounded by people,
definitions, norms, and behavior patterns that differ in that some are favorable to law violation
while others are not.
These mechanisms include differential reinforcement, classical conditioning,
discriminative stimuli, and schedules of reinforcement. Differential reinforcement refers to how
the behavior of a person is shaped by positive and negative consequences. Classical conditioning
refers to the conditioning of a reflex behavior. The widely known dog experiment by Pavlov is
the best example of this. Discriminative stimuli refers to the environmental and internal stimuli
that provide a cue for a behavior. The schedules of reinforcement are the rate and ratio that
positive and negative consequences follow a behavior
Differential association, differential association is a theory developed by Edwin
Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes,
techniques, and motives for criminal behavior.
Definitions. Definitions can best be understood as ones attitudes and beliefs that affect
ones behavior
Differential reinforcement. Differential reinforcement can best be thought of as the
mental calculus of the pros and cons that result from a particular behavior and imitation.
For example, John Doe was brought up in a wealthy middle class community where his
close peers participate in the recreational use of illicit substances. John believes that the law is
wrong in prohibiting these substances. John is with his friends who partake in the substance and
offer John some. We can predict that John will use the substance offered by his friends based on
his own beliefs about the substance and the influence of his peers.
For example a person may steal food because they are hungry and haveno money with
which to buy any. The person holds the negative definition that stealing is wrong, but because of
the situation they have found themselves in they steal the food anyway.
EX: Rosenhan's study of pseudo mental patients - everything the pseudo patients did was
interpreted in light of their illness.
The imitation of criminal models. Behavior is not only a product of beliefs and
reinforcements or punishments that individuals receive. It is also a product of the behavior of
those around us. Individuals often model or imitate the behavior of others, especially if it is

someone that individual looks up to or admires. For example, an individual who witnesses
someone they respect committing a crime, who is then reinforced for that crime, is then more
likely to commit a crime themselves.