Dual Diploma assignment

Understanding the theories

The Behavioral Theory

What is it?

Developed by Ivan Pavlov, the behavioral theory states that behavior is learned by interacting with the environment. It is then reinforced if the response received from the behavior is desirable. If the response is undesirable, the behavior is less likely to happen again.

Example 3

Example 2

Example 1

If a person is robbing a place, accidentally hurts someone in the process and the response was not desirable, they may not rob again due to fear of hurting anyone else

If a person steals something for someone with the intent of helping, if the desired response was to help, despite being caught, it's likely they will do it again

If a child is disciplined with violence, they may grow up believing that agression can be used as a form of discipline

How it applies to crime

It often happens during childhood, this is the time where people are more prone to learning behaviors. If a child sees other adults doing questionable actions, they may think that it's ok to do them in the future. Sometimes it happens because it's being taught to them too, as in the parent actively teaching their child to commit crimes in the future.