Christine S. Sellers

The Empirical Status of Social Learning Theory: A Meta‐Analysis

Social learning theory has remained one of the core criminological paradigms over the last four decades. Although a large body of scholarship has emerged testing various propositions specified by the theory, the empirical status of the theory in its entirety is still unknown. Accordingly, in the present study, we subject this body of empirical literature to a meta‐analysis to assess its empirical status. Results reveal considerable variation in the magnitude and stability of effect sizes for variables specified by social learning theory across different methodological specifications. In particular, relationships of crime/deviance to measures of differential association and definitions (or antisocial attitudes) are quite strong, yet those for differential reinforcement and modeling/imitation are modest at best. Furthermore, effect sizes for differential association, definitions, and differential reinforcement all differed significantly according to variations in model specification and research designs across studies. The implications for the continued vitality of social learning in criminology are discussed.

Academic dishonesty and low self‐control: An empirical test of a general theory of crime

This study uses academic dishonesty as a unique type of fraudulent behavior upon which to test Gottfredson and Hirschis general theory of crime. The study utilizes self‐report data from a survey of undergraduate students enrolled in sociology courses at a large southwestern university. With these data, the authors examine a number of the core theoretical propositions of Gottfredson and Hirschis theory. That is, we test issues concerning the dimensionality of low self‐control, the influence of parenting on the development of self‐control, the association between levels of self‐control and involvement in academic dishonesty, and the interactive effects of low self‐control and opportunity on the frequency of academic dishonesty. The results of our analyses, although rather mixed, do provide qualified support for the theory.

Social learning theory, drug use, and American Indian youths: A cross-cultural test

Contemporary delinquency theories have been challenged as being biased by inherent cultural myopia, even though there have been few tests of these theories involving samples that share all theoretically important characteristics except cultural heritage. In particular, recent studies of delinquency among American Indians suggest that the central constructs of these explanatory models may operate differently among Indians or may translate poorly into the “Indian experience.” Using a census of rural American Indian and Caucasian youths who lived close to one another, we examined the empirical link between key social learning theory constructs and self-reported deviant behavior. Although there were some intergroup differences, the selected theoretical constructs yielded considerable insights into the level of self-reported youthful misbehavior, in this instance alcohol and marijuana use, of both subgroups.

DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS : A PANEL STUDY OF YOUTHFUL DRINKING BEHAVIOR

This article reports on a test of selected elements of social learning theory, using a panel of public school students residing in a small southwestern city. Specifically, the drinking habits of 373 middle school and 282 high school students were examined at Time 1 and Time 2, as were changes in their attitudes, orientations, and patterns of drinking. We evaluated the assertions of social learning theorys proponents concerning its processual aspects. The results were largely consistent with the principles of social learning, although the drug-related messages conveyed by both parents and significant-other adults played only minor roles in the process for either group. We found support for the notion that the process of learning to drink is not uniform throughout the secondary school experience. The implications of these findings for social learning theory and drug intervention programs are addressed in this article.

Social learning and adolescent deviance abstention: Toward understanding the reasons for initiating, quitting, and avoiding drugs

Tests of theories that attempt to explain why individuals currently use drugs are widespread; however, the theoretical examinations of abstention from drugs and the cessation of their use are rare. For its part, social learning theory has been supported consistently in its delineation of the process by which substance use is learned. We propose that cessation and abstention are also learned behavior. Using logistic regression analysis, we examine the ability of social learning variables to distinguish among abstainers, current users, and former users of illicit drugs within a sample of 1688 middle- and high-school students in two widely separated nonurban communities. Results indicate that social learning variables clearly distinguish abstainers from current users but are less able to distinguish former users and current users or former users from abstainers. The theoretical, research, and policy implications of these findings are examined in detail.

Social Learning and Self-Control Assessing the Moderating Potential of Criminal Propensity

Social learning theory is one of the most prominent general theories of crime. Yet recent research has called into question its applicability to all offenders. Specifically, the influence of antisocial peers has been found to exert a stronger effect among those individuals evincing higher levels of criminal propensity (deemed social amplification), whereas other components of the theory have either not been shown to interact with criminal propensity or not been tested. This study examines several social learning theory components to determine whether its influence is dependent on an individual’s level of self-control. Results suggest little support for the social amplification hypothesis as the components of social learning theory were found to operate similarly across individuals regardless one’s level of self-control. Implications for criminological theory are discussed.

Legal Attitudes, Permissive Norm Qualities, and Substance Use: A Comparison of American Indian and Non-Indian Youth

Youthful drug use violates both formal law and informal norms for conventional behavior. Analyses of influences on permissive drug attitudes and behaviors among adolescents should, therefore, focus on both attitude toward the law and the informal normative climate of these youths. Legal attitude and norm qualities, however, can vary depending on the cultural and situational context. We examine the effect of legal attitude and norm qualities on drug permissiveness attitudes, as well as actual alcohol and marijuana use of 196 adolescents comprising three cultural groups: American Indian residents of a rural community, non-Indian residents of the same community, and transient Indians attending a job-training program in the community. In general, for all three groups, legal attitude primarily affects permissiveness toward drug use, while norm qualities of peers and personal permissiveness influence actual substance use. However, the three cultural groups vary in the relative salience of these variables.

Alcohol and Drug Use among Abused Women Who Kill, Abused Women Who Don't, and Their Abusers:

Interviews were conducted with forty-two women with extensive abuse histories who had killed their intimates and fifty-nine women with similar abuse histories who were in shelters for battered women. Controlling for demographic and other differences, analyses indicated that alcohol and other drug use ably distinguished between the two groups of women (correctly classifying 89% of the cases), and that alcohol use was more salient than other drug use. The partners alcohol use and the respondents alcohol use were significantly higher among the intimate homicide group, suggesting an association between intimate homicide and alcohol use. Alcohol counseling should, therefore, be a significant part of programs for both battered women and for men who batter.

Violent Behavior in College Student Dating Relationships: Implications for Campus Service Providers*:

Dating violence among students is one of the more common types of campus violence facing university administrators and service providers. This study provides a descriptive analysis of the nature and extent of self-reported use of aggression as well as victimization in dating relationships among random samples of 995 currently dating and 1391 never married students at a large urban university. Results indicate that dating violence is limited to relatively minor acts of aggression and is more likely in relationships of greater degrees of intimacy and commitment Both males and females report using physical aggression against daring partners and both also report victimization by their partners. Most such incidences occur off campus and few report their victimization to campus agencies designed to handle domestic violence. Implications for campus service providers are discussed.

Strain, Negative Emotions, and Juvenile Delinquency The United States Versus Taiwan

General strain theory (GST) is an established criminological theory. Although the theory has been examined by many and enjoys empirical support, some limitations of previous studies need to be addressed. Many previous studies rely heavily on samples from Western countries, mostly the United States; thus, possible cultural influences are ignored. Although a few studies have moved forward by using subjects from Asia (e.g., China, Korea), these studies only provide empirical results regarding whether GST is applicable in other cultures. However, these studies do not directly compare Western and Eastern countries. The present study used two samples from the United States and Taiwan to directly compare and contrast central GST propositions. Although most of the GST propositions are found to be similar between the U.S. and Taiwanese juveniles, some differences were also discovered. Explanation of these similarities and differences from their cultural perspectives are offered in this study.