Environmental Factors, Research Paper Example

Abstract

This paper explains the various environmental factors that underlie criminal behavior. In order to understand these factors, this paper also tackles the classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning as it related to crime.

Environmental Factors

A lot of studies have been conducted with a purpose of looking at how individuals behave and what affects their behavior. This trend is more apparent in the field of criminal behavior. One of the most controversial claims regarding how humans behave and what factors affect and influence behavior is that humans learn from various environmental variables that they have been exposed through the process of conditioning. The basic and most supported claim on what influences the behavior of individuals is the genetic code. Meaning to say, some scientists and sociologists are claiming that the abilities, traits, personality and the behavior of people are something that can be rooted from their genetic make. However, it is imperative to note that individuals have different and unique characteristics that cannot be observed at birth. These characteristics and varying personalities only emerge in the latter part of someone’s existence. When babies grow, they slowly developed their own personality and characteristics that are uniquely theirs. This is the result of the process called maturation. Also, this is the very reason why each person has a thing called a “biological clock” that turns on and off certain behaviors when exposed to external factors. Take for example a 32 year old woman who is married but does not have a child. When that person is surrounded with women who are married and have children or pregnant, there is a reaction of wanting to be pregnant and have a baby. The same situation can be applied with babies wherein they learn to say their first word when the parents teach them too. They will also cry when they see other babies crying (Balbo & Balban, 2014).

This only goes to show that humans behave based on what they learn from their environment. To elucidate further, it is helpful to understand the theories on classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning in relation to behavior of individuals especially those that is conducive to criminality.

Shapira (2013) expounded on the theory that law-breakers and criminal offenders can be divided into five categories. These variables are: 1) ordinary man driven by external circumstances can to commit crime; 2) normal individuals driven by irresistible impulse to commit a crime; 3) neurotic criminal driven by unknown and irresistible forces to commit a crime; 4) genuine criminal that is driven by anti-social attitudes to commit a crime and; 5) individuals who commit crime as a result of mental illness. In this regard, it can be that the preponderance to commit crime can be attributed to what is learned socially. People, as they grow older, learn to react to negative situations, learn to express their feeling, and respond to stimulus among the many other factors. By virtue of this, some people are driven to commit crime. Not to mention that when people fail to learn the social skills needed and fail to learn to handle their emotions, they act beyond what it approved by the society.

It is also imperative to say that social learning contributes to the criminal behavior of a person. There have been cases entered in the justice system wherein the offender committed a domestic violence crime because that person grew up in that kind of environment. People adapt these situations thinking that it is the norm. Hence, the abuse and violence carry on to the next generation. Burdick (2014) stated that criminal behavior is a learned behavior. Even an ordinary person can be triggered to commit a crime if that person is associated with other criminals. In the same manner that a good student can start and get into drugs once becomes associated with friends that are drug users themselves. Although this assumption has been used for more than 50 years, it is still stands true today and nothing have been majorly changed in the findings. This can be summed up in the old cliché “tell me who your friends and I will tell you who you are”.

Moreover, to explain criminal behaviors based on the theories of conditioning would yield the conclusion that behaviors of an individual is shaped and formed by the utilization of a pairing of stimulus which is known as classical conditioning and through the operant conditioning that uses reinforcement and punishment. Clearly, classical conditioning involves a process wherein a behavior is heightened or diminished with the removal or pairing of stimuli. Take for example a study conducted by Jianqing (2015) shows that classical conditioning will yield a conditioned response after a recurring pairing of stimulus even if the person is responding unconsciously to the stimulus. An influential theory on the relationship of criminal behavior and classical conditioning revealed that people that are antisocial are lacking in terms of classical conditioning. This is due to the fact that classical conditioning is all about the process of socialization and teaching and enabling an individual to suppress any form of antisocial reactions. In addition, the classical conditioning holds true the concept of conscience that halts people into committing acts that are criminal in nature. Undeniably, a full-developed conscience and a full understanding of morality and integrity stop people from committing a crime even in situations where there is a clear indication that a crime can be committed without being detected.

Conscience, for the purpose of this paper, is the set of classically conditioned and accepted emotional responses that should be the basis of human’s behavior. A full understanding of this concept will enable an individual to behave in the way that is expected in accordance to the known concept of what is right and what is wrong; and what is socially acceptable and not. A greater conditioning of individuals to develop these emotional responses will yield to a greater progress of conscience.

Operant conditioning, on the other hand, simply means that behaviors are heightened or diminished based on the degree of reward or punishment. Clearly, there will be an increase in the criminal behavior if the acts are rewarded right after. For example, when individuals do not have money and decided to rob a bank, the immediate positive reinforcement is a wallet full of cash as the result of the robbery. In addition, the money-related problems that are being experienced suddenly disappeared. Hence, given another opportunity, these people will repeat the crime. However, if they get arrested immediately, they might learn that robbing a bank does not cause any positive reinforcement other than free food and lodging in a federal prison. Operant conditioning, according to Moore (2011), affects the continuity of an act. If there is positive reinforcement, the act will likely to continue. But when there is negative reinforcement such as jail time or when a person got hurt as a result of the commission of the crime, the act will likely to stop and might not happen again.

With all the foregoing, it cannot be denied that social leaning, classical conditioning and operant conditioning all have an impact in criminal behavior. But it can be said as well that these forms of learning somewhat interact with each other. This is due to the fact that it cannot be absolutely say that people who grew up in an abusive environment will become abusive themselves. Sometimes, it is the lack of conscience or the lack of negative reinforcement or could be both. Nevertheless, there is a need to further understand how these forms of learning can be utilized better in order to reduce the rate and the preponderance of commission of crimes and exhibition of criminal behaviors.  All in all, the society has to work harder together with the other key players such as families and the government to ensure that criminal activities and behaviors can be controlled accordingly.

References

Balbo, N. & Balban, N. (2014). Does fertility behavior spread among friends? American sociological review, 79(3): 412-431.

Burdick, C. (2014). The merits, limitations, and modifications of applying Bandura’s social learning theory to understanding African American children’s exposure to violence. American international journal of social science, 3(5): 183-185.

Jianqing, L. (2015). An interpretation of behavioral traits of criminal motivation. Canadian social science. 11(1): 52-56.

Moore, M. (2011). Psychological theories of crime and delinquency. Journal of human behavior in the social environment, 21: 226-239.

Shapira, M. (2013). The war inside. New York: Cambridge University Press.