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All About Social Control Theory and Containment Theory

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Luna

02/09/2022

Criminology

Control theory

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Criminology

All About Social Control Theory and Containment Theory

Social control theory posits that individuals conform to societal norms due to the bonds they form with society. This theory, developed by Hirschi (1969), identifies four key elements of social bonding that prevent criminal behavior: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. The strength of these bonds determines an individual's likelihood of engaging in delinquent acts.

  • Attachment to others, especially parents and teachers, fosters respect for societal norms
  • Commitment to conventional goals reduces the risk of criminal involvement
  • Involvement in law-abiding activities leaves less time for criminal pursuits
  • Belief in the importance of obeying laws decreases the likelihood of breaking them

Walter Reckless's containment theory, a variant of social control theory, emphasizes inner and outer containment as factors preventing criminal behavior. Inner containment stems from family influence, while outer containment relates to societal laws and social group influences.

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02/09/2022

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control theory Travis Hirschi (1969) believed that people conform because of the bonds they have formed with the society in which they live.

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Containment Theory: Inner and Outer Influences on Behavior

Walter Reckless's containment theory, developed in 1974, offers a nuanced perspective on social control theory. This approach focuses on the concept of containment as a means of preventing criminal behavior. Reckless identifies two primary forms of containment:

  1. Inner Containment: This refers to the internal psychological factors that help individuals resist criminal tendencies. Inner containment is largely shaped by an individual's upbringing, with family influence playing a crucial role.

Definition: Inner containment encompasses self-control, self-concept, ego strength, and other internal mechanisms that help individuals conform to societal norms.

  1. Outer Containment: This involves external social factors that discourage criminal behavior. Outer containment includes the influence of social groups and the broader societal framework, including laws and social norms.

Example: A strong community support system and clear legal consequences for criminal actions are forms of outer containment.

The theory posits that a combination of these internal psychological containments and external social containments works to prevent individuals from deviating from social norms and engaging in criminal activities.

Highlight: The effectiveness of containment in preventing crime depends on the strength and interaction of both inner and outer containment factors.

Containment theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how various internal and external factors contribute to an individual's ability to resist criminal impulses and conform to societal expectations.

Vocabulary: Containment, in this context, refers to the factors that "contain" or restrain an individual's potential for criminal behavior.

This theory complements Hirschi's social bond theory by emphasizing the importance of both personal psychological factors and broader social influences in shaping law-abiding behavior.

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Criminology

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2 Sept 2022

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All About Social Control Theory and Containment Theory

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Luna

@adhdluna_

Social control theory posits that individuals conform to societal norms due to the bonds they form with society. This theory, developed by Hirschi (1969), identifies four key elements of social bonding that prevent criminal behavior: attachment, commitment, involvement, and... Show more

control theory Travis Hirschi (1969) believed that people conform because of the bonds they have formed with the society in which they live.

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Containment Theory: Inner and Outer Influences on Behavior

Walter Reckless's containment theory, developed in 1974, offers a nuanced perspective on social control theory. This approach focuses on the concept of containment as a means of preventing criminal behavior. Reckless identifies two primary forms of containment:

  1. Inner Containment: This refers to the internal psychological factors that help individuals resist criminal tendencies. Inner containment is largely shaped by an individual's upbringing, with family influence playing a crucial role.

Definition: Inner containment encompasses self-control, self-concept, ego strength, and other internal mechanisms that help individuals conform to societal norms.

  1. Outer Containment: This involves external social factors that discourage criminal behavior. Outer containment includes the influence of social groups and the broader societal framework, including laws and social norms.

Example: A strong community support system and clear legal consequences for criminal actions are forms of outer containment.

The theory posits that a combination of these internal psychological containments and external social containments works to prevent individuals from deviating from social norms and engaging in criminal activities.

Highlight: The effectiveness of containment in preventing crime depends on the strength and interaction of both inner and outer containment factors.

Containment theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how various internal and external factors contribute to an individual's ability to resist criminal impulses and conform to societal expectations.

Vocabulary: Containment, in this context, refers to the factors that "contain" or restrain an individual's potential for criminal behavior.

This theory complements Hirschi's social bond theory by emphasizing the importance of both personal psychological factors and broader social influences in shaping law-abiding behavior.

control theory Travis Hirschi (1969) believed that people conform because of the bonds they have formed with the society in which they live.

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Social Bond Theory: The Four Elements of Societal Attachment

Travis Hirschi's social bond theory, also known as social control theory, proposes that individuals conform to societal norms due to the bonds they form with society. This theory, outlined in Hirschi's 1969 work, identifies four crucial elements that comprise an individual's bond to society:

  1. Attachment: This element emphasizes the importance of emotional connections to others, particularly parents and teachers. The stronger these attachments, the more an individual values others' opinions and respects societal norms.

Example: A student with a strong attachment to their teacher is more likely to follow classroom rules and strive for academic success.

  1. Commitment: This refers to an individual's investment in conventional goals, such as educational and career success. The more committed one is to a conventional lifestyle, the more they risk losing by engaging in criminal activities.

Highlight: High levels of commitment to societal goals act as a deterrent to criminal behavior.

  1. Involvement: Participation in conventional, law-abiding activities leaves less time and energy for criminal pursuits. This element suggests that keeping individuals engaged in positive activities can reduce delinquency.

Example: A student heavily involved in after-school sports and clubs has less opportunity to engage in criminal activities.

  1. Belief: This element focuses on an individual's internalized moral code and belief in the legitimacy of societal laws and norms.

Definition: Belief, in the context of social bond theory, refers to the extent to which an individual accepts and adheres to the moral validity of society's rules.

Hirschi argues that delinquent acts occur when an individual's bond with society is weak or broken. The theory provides insights into how these bonds can break down:

Example: Attachment can weaken if a student has a significant disagreement with a teacher, leading to a loss of respect for authority and increased likelihood of rule-breaking behavior.

Example: Commitment may diminish if a student loses interest in education, resulting in a lack of concern for future consequences and reduced motivation to achieve conventional goals.

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Samantha Klich

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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

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Thomas R

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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

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Greenlight Bonnie

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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

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