What long-held belief regarding the causes of criminal behavior did Edwin Sutherland dispute?
A Criminal behavior is learned.
B Criminals are primarily created in the lower classes due to a feeling of inadequacy.
C Criminals are less likely to create strong bonds with their immediate family members despite their antisocial proclivities.
D Criminal behavior is a result of society labels.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: A) Criminal behavior is learned.
Edwin Sutherland is most well-known for his theory of differential association, which directly disputed the long-held belief that criminal behavior is primarily caused by biological factors, an individual’s inherent traits, or psychological issues. Prior to Sutherland’s work, many criminologists believed that criminal behavior was innate or that individuals from lower social classes were more likely to engage in crime due to feelings of inadequacy or deprivation. However, Sutherland proposed that criminal behavior is not inherent but learned, and it is learned through interactions with others.
Sutherland’s theory suggested that people learn criminal behavior just like any other behavior through communication and association with others who hold favorable views toward crime. In this way, individuals learn not only the techniques of committing crimes but also the attitudes, values, and rationalizations that justify those actions. This learning process occurs within intimate groups like family, peers, or social circles. The more an individual is exposed to these pro-criminal attitudes, the more likely they are to engage in criminal behavior themselves.
Sutherland argued that criminal behavior is a product of the same processes that lead to the learning of any type of behavior. In contrast to earlier theories that emphasized biological or economic causes, Sutherland focused on the role of social environment and interactions. This idea revolutionized criminology and laid the groundwork for further research into how crime is socially constructed, and how it can be prevented by changing social relationships and norms. His work was instrumental in highlighting the importance of societal influence on criminal behavior, and it remains a foundational concept in criminological theory.