Differential Association Theory

Navigating the Halls: Cliques and Crime through a Learning Theory Lens Student’s name Department: University Course: Course code Instructor’s name Date Navigating the Halls: Cliques and Crime through a Learning Theory Lens Strolling through high school hallways was like knowing one misstep and falling into the social jungle. The other type of kids were those extremely sure of themselves and wearing t-shirts with school colors. The art people, always dressed in neatly manicured clothing covered with paint stains, gathered around easels. Furthermore, on the other ground were those inadequate specimens, yoked to books all hours. These were not just groups; they were entities that you could not differentiate beyond the norm and culture each had. In his book "The Differential Association Theory," Edward Sutherland, a sociologist, tells us that crime is learned and is a result of interactions with peers and other people. Is this what could have made the members commit crimes? Differential association theory essentially helps to explain how individuals develop unbecoming or unwanted behavior after associating with other people who have the same kind of behavior. Back in high school , most of us who came from humble backgrounds suffered serious culture shocks, seeing our classmates operating in a class of their own. It seemed like there were specific cliques which the students associated with. One simply felt that for them to be ...