SAGE Journal Articles

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Article 1: Burruss, G.W., Bossler, A.M., & Holt, T.J. (December 2013 ). Assessing the Mediation of a Fuller Social Learning Model on Low Self-Control’s Influence on Software Piracy. Crime & Delinquency 59: 1157-1184.

Burruss and colleagues (2013) examine software piracy by juveniles through the lens of Aker’s Social Learning Theory and Gottfredson and Hirshi’s self control theory. Findings suggest that these theories provide empirical evidence and support for each of the components of self control and the influence of peers who also participate in piracy.

Questions to Consider:

  1. What are the main assumptions of Social Learning Theory is tested in this research? How does the author measure the influence of peers?
  2.  What theories are tested in this research study? What research questions are examined? What influence does the empirical support for these two theoretical orientations have for policy and law enforcement efforts to control piracy?

Article 2: Morash, M. (November 1999). A Consideration of Gender in Relation to Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance. Theoretical Criminology November 1999 3: 451-462.

Morash (1999) discusses the application of Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance to the understanding of crimes against women, and its relation to gender and crime type, patterns, and amount of crime. This article examines the integration of feminist understanding gender structure, crime and deviance.

Questions to Consider:

  1. In the future development of social learning and social structure theories, is there room for feminist theory and an incorporation of gender structure to the understanding of crime and deviance? If so, how?
  2. List the theories mentioned in this article. How are they incorporated or integrated into Akers’ Social Learning and Social Structure?