How Does Social Learning Theory Explain The Develo

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How does social learning theory explain the development of offending behaviour and how useful is this explanation? It is possible to explain the development of offending behaviour in several ways. The two major approaches including, first, genetic explanations which posit that aggressive or antisocial behaviours are an outcome of markers of a certain genetic makeup, passed down from parents (Braungart-Riekerm et al, 1995). While, the behaviourist approach argues that the development of offending behaviour is a consequence of conditioning or social learning (Patterson, 1982). Although each of these explanations has merit, genetic explanations have been criticised for its failure to clearly show how disparate behaviours can be seen as expressions of a single genotype and that existing evidence suggests there are more complex issues involved than is implied by a person’s genetic makeup (Renken et al, 1989). As a result, behaviourism became one of the leading areas of research into learning during the twentieth century (Anderson 2000). It outlines factors such as classical conditioning; an association between a stimulus and response, operant conditioning; a response to the consequences of behaviour and social learning; a response to observation and imitation. The aim of this essay is to give an explanation of the social learning theory, its account of the development of offending behaviour and its usefulness. Social learning theory suggests that offending behaviour is acquired through direct reinforcement, modelling or imitation. Bandura (1977) put forward a four step pattern which he believed took place during the modelling process. Attention was the first of Bandura’s steps; this is where the individual notices something in the environment. Secondly, retention takes place; the individual remembers what was noticed (e.g. a criminal act). Thirdly, reproduction

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