Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance

471 Pages·2009·8.359 MB·English

by  Ronald L. Akers

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Introduction to the Transaction Paperback Edition 3 Introduction to the Transaction Paperback Edition 3
First E-Book Publication 2010
Copyright new material this edition © 2009 by Transaction Publishers, New
Brunswick, New Jersey. Originally copyright 1998 by Ronald L. Akers.

A ll rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-
copy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without
prior permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be
addressed to Transaction Publishers, Rutgers—The State University of
New Jersey, 35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8042. www.
transactionpub.com

This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National
Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials.

Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2008051230
E-ISBN: 978-1-4128-1576-5
ISBN: 978-1-4128-0999-3 (paper)
Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Akers, Ronald L.
Social learning and social structure : a general theory of crime and
deviance / Ronald L. Akers ; with a new introduction by the author.
-- Transaction paperback ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4128-0999-3
1. Deviant behavior. 2. Criminal behavior. 3. Social learning.
4. Social structure. I. Title.

HM811.A54 2009
302.5’42--dc22
2008051230
This book
is dedicated
with love
and appreciation
to Caroline
My wife,
life companion,
and best friend
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Contents
List of Tables ix
List of Figures xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Introduction to the Transaction Paperback Edition xd
1 A Personal History of the Development of Social Learning
Theory 3
2 Development and Revisions of Differential Association
Theory 21
3 The Social Learning Theory of Criminal and Deviant
Behavior 47
4 Social Learning and Cultural Deviance Theory 90
5 Research on Social Learning Variables in Crime and
Delinquency 107
6 Social Learning Variables in Delinquency Prediction 127
7 Adolescent Drug and Drinking Behavior: The Boys Town
Study 170
viii Contents
8 Adolescent Smoking Behavior: The Iowa Study 202
9 Elderly Drinking Behavior: The Florida Study 234
10 Rape and Sexual Aggression 254
11 Other Studies on Social Learning 286
12 Social Structure and Social Learning in Crime and
Deviance 322
Bibliography 3 73
Index 415
Tables
6.la Findings on Younger Group in the Denver Youth Survey 145
6.lb Findings on Older Group in the Denver Youth Survey 146
6.2 List of Delinquency Predictor Variables and Average RIOC from
Delinquency Prediction Studies 147
6.3 Variables Predictive of Initiation and Desistance of Delinquency for Youth
Up to Age 11 (M)a nd Youth Up to Age 14 (0)in the Pittsburgh Youth
Study 148
7.1 The Relationships between One's Own Attitudes toward Alcohol Use and
Marijuana Use and Reference Group Norm Qualities: Zero-Order
Correlations and Partial Regression (standardized beta) Coefficients 186
7.2 The Relationship of Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Abuse with Group
Norm Qualities and One's Own Definitions of Alcohol and Marijuana:
Zero-Order Correlations and Partial Regression (standardized beta)
Coefficients 187
7.3 Zero-Order Correlation and Partial Regression [standardized beta)
Coefficients of Social Learning Variables for Alcohol and Marijuana
Use 188
7.4 Multiple Regression of Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Abuse on the
Major Subsets of Social Learning Variables 189
7.5 Comparison of Relative Efficacy of Social Learning, Social Bonding, and
Strain Variables in Explaining Adolescent Marijuana Use: Standardized
Partial Regression (beta)C oefficients 198
8.1 Social Learning and Frequency of Teenage Smoking: Zero-Order
Correlation and Standardized Partial Regression Coefficients 215
8.2 The Combination Effects of Parents and Friends on Teenage
Smoking 216
8.3 Longitudinal Social Learning Models of Initiation and Maintenance of
Smoking in the Three-Year Panel 219