Socioeconomic status
Reply 4-1 AV (100 words and 1 reference)
If I was a forensic psychologist I would tend to subscribe to social processing theory, but I do think social structure theory can be used often by forensic psychologists. Social structure theory is based on the idea that people’s socioeconomic status has an impact or influence on their chances of becoming a criminal (Siegel, n.d.). For example, someone who is poor is more likely to become a criminal because they are unable to be financially stable and successful otherwise. On the other hand, social process theory suggests that individuals can learn criminal behaviors just like they learn conventional behaviors (Siegel, n.d.). An example of social process theory would be, if a boy is raised in a home where stealing is normal and committing crimes is not a big deal, the boy will learn that stealing is okay and will learn to commit crimes as well. To me, I think social process theory is a good way to explain why some individuals become criminals and why some do not. I also think social processing theory is accurate and tends to have more evidence for why. Individuals learn most things in life and it is clear that even criminal behaviors can be just as easily learned. Although I would tend to subscribe to social process theory, I do think social structure theory has valid reasoning for why individuals become criminals as well.
Reply 4-1 ZA (100 words and 1 reference)
Social structure theory is the idea that “human beings are not completely free and autonomous in their choices and actions but are instead constrained by the social world they inhabit and the social relations they form with one another” (Form, 2022). Meanwhile, social process “shows criminality as a function of peoples interaction with various organizations, Institutions, and process in society” (navnit, 2022). If I was a forensic psychologist I would follow social structure since all of our choices are affected by the things that surround us. I think that all of our choices are affected about our upbringing, social interactions, and those we surround ourselves with. I believe this would allow insight to those I am investigating.
Reply 4-2 ZA 100 words and 1 response)
Hirschi’s social bond consists of four theories; commitment, attachment, involvement, and belief. “Hirschi assumes in his social bonds theory that humans have a natural tendency to delinquency. The interesting question for him is what prevents people from violating norms” (Wickert, 2022). For myself, I think the lowest level I have is attachment. This relates to the commitment you have to others and to me, that doesn’t hold as much importance as the other theories. The highest level I believe I have is commitment. I have always taken pride in things such as my grades and making my parents proud which would always be my top priority. These theories makes perfect sense and I can see how all of them would lead to wrongdoing and also vice versa.
