Self Control Theory

611 Words3 Pages
Theorists Michael R. Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi said there was one theory to explain crimes and or deviances, that theory is the low self-control theory. The theory focuses on the level of restraint an individual may have. It is said that a person with a lower level of self-control, he or she may be more likely to participate in criminal acts than someone who has a higher level of self-control. They had believed that everyone was attracted to or motivated to crime like everyone else, but it was all based on the level of constraint the individual had, varying from each other, which was the only cause of crime. Gottfredson and Hirschi state the major cause of low self-control stems from an absence of positive guardianship. The parents in the household do not monitor or consistently recognize their child or children’s behavior as well as punish them for their deviant acts. There are six elements of self-control that are said to form this trait: “impulsivity, preference for simple rather than complex tasks, risk taking, preference for physical rather than mental activity, self-centeredness, and being short-tempered” (Rocha). Impulse acts deals with the “here and now” concept as opposed to delaying gratification. When taking the simpler route, the individual does not show persistence because they want to easily pursue their desire. Risk taking involves being a bit reckless and dangerous with no regard of being cautious. Since people with low self-control they only think of themselves primarily, being insensitive to others, they may be short tempered and handle situations with little ability to communicate verbally. I had a positive guardianship growing up in my household. If both my sister and I were out of “control” according to my mother, she would not hesitate to spank us, which is now looked down upon in today’s society. We were being monitored consistently
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