Is Crime a Learned Behavior?/ Social and Behavioral Aspects of Criminal Behavior

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Apply social and behavioral concepts and theories to explain the criminal behavior of Keen family members.

 Explain how—and to what extent—the following factors account for criminal behavior in the case study:

o Parenting styles and practices o Peer influences o Conditioning and reinforcement

Support your response with specific examples from the case study, theories from the Learning Resources, and relevant professional experience.

Week One Discussion Two - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Criminal Behavior: The Keen Family

Hello Everyone,

The risk factors that had the most concern in our readings are social, family, and psychological interactions that are thought to increase the likelihood that a person will participate in ongoing criminal activity (Bartol & Bartol, 2017). Social learning theory argues that we participate in either criminal or noncriminal activity based on the social environment around us, and that is influenced by how other people reward or model behavior. This theory argues that criminal actions are acquired and therefore could be counteracted by building a good social environment in which there is no acceptable form of criminal activity (Kent State University, 2018).

Parenting Styles and Practices

How parents or caregivers interact with their children is related to parenting styles and behaviors. Parental styles apply to parent-child relationships marked by parental behavior towards the child and the parent-child relationship's emotional environment. Parental practices are techniques used by parents in various ways and circumstances to accomplish academic, social, or athletic goals. Joseph and Sandra Keen have not seemed to set the best example for their children starting with before they were born. Sandra drank during her pregnancies and throughout her children’s lives, she has been neglectful. She not only displays her unhealthy bad habits of substance abuse but supplies her children with drugs and alcohol also. Joseph has not presented the best example for the two children to follow either. He has an impulsive, violent personality, a belittling view of women, and is currently in prison (Laureate Education, 2019).

It is possible to trace criminal activity in adults to their childhoods. Each person follows a developmental pathway, the patterns of which can often be recognized at a young age (Bartol & Bartol, 2017). With regards to 17-year-old Shawn, the general aggression model can be applied. This is a theoretical framework of aggressive and violent behavior it shows the connection between biological, personality development, social processes, basic cognitive processes, short-term and long-term processes, and decision processes. It explains the need for a nurturing, loving home environment, and witnessing violence or aggressive behavior at a young age can cause antisocial and aggressive, violent behavior later in life (Bartol & Bartol, 2017).

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Shawn witnessing his father’s violent outburst could explain Shawn’s fights in school. It can also apply to Tracey and her attacking her teacher in her junior year of high school.

There are reactive and proactive forms of aggression Shawn and Tracey both display reactive forms of aggression. This consists of anger expressions, temper tantrums, vengeful hostility, and just “hot-blooded” aggressive acts (Bartol & Bartol, 2017).

Peer Influences

There is an increase in susceptibility to peer influence during adolescence and a decrease in susceptibility to parental influence. Although acknowledging the value of successful, supportive parenting, the developmental cascade model often strongly stresses the importance of developing cognitive competence and resilience with peers as adolescents, particularly with boys (Bartol & Bartol, 2017). Shawn hanging out with other adolescents that participate in illegal and antisocial activities rather than his peers that are more positive and help to contribute to constructive behavior is most likely a result of learning to handle life's stressful situations in an unhealthy way.

Conditioning and Reinforcement

Tracey and Shawn seem to be displaying Operant Conditioning. This is a learning theory focused on cause and effect (Bartol & Bartol, 2017). By Tracey witnessing her mother be demeaned, undervalued, and treated “less than” by her father it has conditioned her to allow men to treat her the same way. By Sandra not stopping Joseph’s violent behavior in front of the children and by Joseph exposing his violent actions in front of his children it only shows the now-adult children that this behavior is acceptable. Therefore, operant conditioning has occurred, Shawn mimicking his father's violent, aggressive way of handling situations. While Tracey observing her mother rewarding the behavior of her father by not correcting it or removing the children from it, she has taught them that this repetitive negative behavior is okay.

References

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2017). Criminal behavior: A psychological approach (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Kent State University. (2018, October 31). Major criminology theories and how they affect policy. Retrieved from https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/sociology/criminal-justice/community/criminal- behavior-theories

Laureate Education (Producer). (2019). The Keen family [Web site]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://mym.cdn.laureate- media.com/2dett4d/Walden/CRJS/4102/profiles/index.html