Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Differential Association Theory Differential Association Theory or otherwise known as The Social Learning Theory was proposed by, Criminologist Edwin H. Sutherland in his Principles of Criminology testbook. Differential Association Theory or the Social Learning Theory states that crime is learned behavior. People learn criminal behavior through the groups with which they associate. If a person associates with more groups that define criminal behavior as acceptable than groups that define criminal behavior as unacceptable, the person will probably engage in criminal behavior. Put another way, "just as people must learn though socia