Uploaded September 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Discover how differential association explains the learning of criminal behavior in this 3:59 minute video lesson.

When ordinary folks turn into crooks and criminals, it’s sometimes because they learn from the wrong crowds. Edwin Sutherland’s pioneering work in criminology greatly expanded our understanding of how this happens exactly. His theory of "differential association" suggests that there are 9 tenets to learning criminal behavior — and that we learn it almost like we learn anything else.

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This video was made with the support of our Patrons: Andrea Basilio Rava, Angela, ArkiTechy, Artur, azad bel, Badrah, Brilliant Minds Learning, Cedric.Wang, David Markham, Delandric Webb, Denis Kraus, Digital INnov8ors, Dr. Matthias Müller-Mellin, Duane Bemister, Esther Chiang, Eva Marie Koblin, Floris Devreese, Frari63, Gatsby Dkdc, Ginger, Harmoniac Design, ICH KANN DEUTSCH UND ES WAR EINFACH!, Isabelle, Jana Heinze, Jannes Kroon, Jeffrey Cassianna, Joanne Doyle, Johan Klassen, John Burghardt, Jonathan Schwarz, Jorge Luis Mejia Velazquez, Karen Lewis, Kenneth Natvig, Leonel, Linus Linderoth, Liskaya, Marcel, Marco VanGuff, María, Marq Short, Mathis Nu, Matthias Ruck, Mezes.Macko, Mindozone, Mique XO, Muhammad Humayun, Nicki, Okan Elibol, Paul Hopkins, Peter Bishop, Petra, Raymond Fujioka, Robert Cook, scripz, Sebastian Huaytan Meder, Si, Stefan Gros, Stephen, Stephen Clark, Stuart Bishop, Susan Schuster, Tetiana Gerasymova, The Freudian Centre, Tristan Scifo, Victor Paweletz, Wolfgang Vullhorst, Yohanan Schwartzman, Yvonne Clapham and all the others.Thank you! To join them visit patreon.com/sprouts

COLLABORATORS
Script: Jonas Koblin
Artist: Pascal Gaggelli
Voice: Mithril
Coloring: Nalin
Editing: Peera Lertsukittipongsa
Production: Selina Bador
Sound Design: Miguel Ojeda

SOUNDTRACKS
Tarantella - Adieu Adieu
Inspector Swing - Studio Le Bus

DIG DEEPER with these videos and other resources
Today we know that we are also influenced by genetic factors, hormones and special circumstances. Watch Robert Sapolsky explains the McNaughton rule and how brain damage can explain criminal behavior.

Read the tragic case of Charles Whitman who, on August 1 1966, took the life of his mother, his wife and many innocent others, before he was executed. In a letter he wrote before the tragedy unfolded, he asked to check on his brain stating that something must have gone terribly wrong inside it. An autopsy after his death revealed a large tumor inside his head. His story, if true, is testimony that not only the environment, but also biological causes may be responsible for crimes that happen.

Watch Asch’s Conformity Experiment to understand how easy people conform to group behavior.
Learn more about social learning theory or watch our video on Bandura’s Bobo Beatdown Experiments

SOURCES
Edwin Sutherland
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Sutherland

Differential association
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_association

Students computer crime
sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/differential-association

White Collar Crime
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_crime

White Collar Crime, original article
jstor.org/stable/2083937

Differential association theory (Sutherland)
soztheo.de/theories-of-crime/learning-subculture/differential-association-theory-sutherland/?lang=en

Charles Whiteman
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman

Brain and the amygdala
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala

CLASSROOM EXERCISE
Visit our website to find out more about suggested activities on this topic!

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:46 9 Precepts of differential association
02:47 What do you think?
03:08 Patrons credit
03:17 Ending

#criminology #socialscience #sproutslearning #sociallearning