Hirschi’s social bonding theory (25)
Introduction:
Theories of social control all rely on social factors to explain how people are restrained
from acting in ways that harm others (Williams & McShane, 2004:195).
Social control theories specifically attribute delinquency and crime to social
variables such as family structure, education and peer groups.
Social control theory regards crime as a morally neutral concept.
It assumes that people are, by nature, inclined to break the law.
The motivation for crime forms part of human nature, and all individuals will
commit crime if left to their own devices.
For this reason, people need to be controlled and the restraining forces of
society need to be examined.
Although there are differences regarding the way in which social control theories
explain criminal behaviour, they all share the following basic thinking:
Delinquency and crime are unavoidable. Hirschi (Jones, 2001:288), who was
a major proponent of control theory, did not view crime as the expression of
free will, but simply as normal behaviour. This argument is a reflection of
Durkheim’s influence, who regarded crime as a normal phenomenon in any
society.
It is necessary to explain why people obey rules (and not why they break
them).
The essential component of all social control theories is, in short, their
attempts to identify those factors that prevent people from engaging in
delinquency and crime.
Definition of key concept:
Social bonding theory:
Is a social control theory focusing on a person’s bonds to others.
Social control theory:
Is the view that people commit crime when the forces that bind them to society are
weakened or broken. Theorist maintain that human beings must be held in check or
somehow be controlled if delinquent tendencies are to be repressed.
Assumptions of Hirschi’s social bonding theory:
Travis Hirschi is the theorist most closely identified with social control theory, or
bonding theory.
Hirschi (Bartollas, 2006:147) ascribes delinquent behaviour to the quality of the
bond an individual has with society; Hirschi states that ‘‘delinquent acts result
when an individual’s bond to society is weak or broken’’.
Williams and McShane (2004:202) identify the following as the main assumptions
of Hirschi’s theory:
Self-preservation and reward are the major concerns of human nature, which
means that human behaviour tends to be self-centred.
, Given the above argument, human behaviour must be controlled and
regulated for the benefit of everybody.
Society’s rules and regulations constitute the moral order.
A person bonds with the moral order of society initially by way of
socialisation (as a child) and later by means of social institutions.
The bond formed with the moral order consists of elements that maintain and
reinforce conformity (obedience to the law).
The elements of the bond are identified as:
o attachment to significant others (e.g. parents and peers) and
institutions (e.g. church and school)
o commitment to or investment in conventional society (e.g. respect for
and obedience to the rules and laws of society)
o involvement in conventional activities (e.g. participation in sport)
o belief in society’s values (ability to distinguish between right and
wrong).
All these elements are present to varying degrees. If the elements become weaker or
absent, individuals feel they have greater freedom to pursue their own interests by
means of delinquency and crime.
Hirschi (in Siegel & Senna, 2000:178) did not see the individual as either deviant
or conformist.
For Hirschi (as for Durkheim), people’s behaviour reflects different degrees of
morality.
The power of internalised norms, a person’s conscience, and the desire for
approval encourage law-abiding or conventional behaviour.
Hirschi attributed a person’s feeling that he or she is free to break the law to the
disintegration or weakening of bonds with society.
In other words, the individual has failed to bond with the social group or society;
in his or her case, socialisation has failed.
The individual who pursues his or her own interests is always prepared to act in
order to secure the advantage for himself.
Society therefore has to exert a restraining influence on this type of behaviour.
When social restraints get slack, self-interest triumphs and crime is committed.
Hirschi therefore regards society’s common value system as being extremely
important.
Elements of the social bond:
Hirschi identifies four dimensions or elements of the social bond, namely attachment,
involvement, commitment and belief.
Attachment
is the most important element because it enjoys the most attention in Hirschi’s
theory.
A young person’s degree of attachment to significant others (e.g. parents,
friends and role models) or to institutions (e.g. school or a club) may inhibit
deviant behaviour.
A test of conformity is to ask juveniles whether it matters what their parents
think of them; Attachment is important in creating conformity, even when
others are delinquent (e.g. parents who have committed crimes for which they
have been convicted).
Introduction:
Theories of social control all rely on social factors to explain how people are restrained
from acting in ways that harm others (Williams & McShane, 2004:195).
Social control theories specifically attribute delinquency and crime to social
variables such as family structure, education and peer groups.
Social control theory regards crime as a morally neutral concept.
It assumes that people are, by nature, inclined to break the law.
The motivation for crime forms part of human nature, and all individuals will
commit crime if left to their own devices.
For this reason, people need to be controlled and the restraining forces of
society need to be examined.
Although there are differences regarding the way in which social control theories
explain criminal behaviour, they all share the following basic thinking:
Delinquency and crime are unavoidable. Hirschi (Jones, 2001:288), who was
a major proponent of control theory, did not view crime as the expression of
free will, but simply as normal behaviour. This argument is a reflection of
Durkheim’s influence, who regarded crime as a normal phenomenon in any
society.
It is necessary to explain why people obey rules (and not why they break
them).
The essential component of all social control theories is, in short, their
attempts to identify those factors that prevent people from engaging in
delinquency and crime.
Definition of key concept:
Social bonding theory:
Is a social control theory focusing on a person’s bonds to others.
Social control theory:
Is the view that people commit crime when the forces that bind them to society are
weakened or broken. Theorist maintain that human beings must be held in check or
somehow be controlled if delinquent tendencies are to be repressed.
Assumptions of Hirschi’s social bonding theory:
Travis Hirschi is the theorist most closely identified with social control theory, or
bonding theory.
Hirschi (Bartollas, 2006:147) ascribes delinquent behaviour to the quality of the
bond an individual has with society; Hirschi states that ‘‘delinquent acts result
when an individual’s bond to society is weak or broken’’.
Williams and McShane (2004:202) identify the following as the main assumptions
of Hirschi’s theory:
Self-preservation and reward are the major concerns of human nature, which
means that human behaviour tends to be self-centred.
, Given the above argument, human behaviour must be controlled and
regulated for the benefit of everybody.
Society’s rules and regulations constitute the moral order.
A person bonds with the moral order of society initially by way of
socialisation (as a child) and later by means of social institutions.
The bond formed with the moral order consists of elements that maintain and
reinforce conformity (obedience to the law).
The elements of the bond are identified as:
o attachment to significant others (e.g. parents and peers) and
institutions (e.g. church and school)
o commitment to or investment in conventional society (e.g. respect for
and obedience to the rules and laws of society)
o involvement in conventional activities (e.g. participation in sport)
o belief in society’s values (ability to distinguish between right and
wrong).
All these elements are present to varying degrees. If the elements become weaker or
absent, individuals feel they have greater freedom to pursue their own interests by
means of delinquency and crime.
Hirschi (in Siegel & Senna, 2000:178) did not see the individual as either deviant
or conformist.
For Hirschi (as for Durkheim), people’s behaviour reflects different degrees of
morality.
The power of internalised norms, a person’s conscience, and the desire for
approval encourage law-abiding or conventional behaviour.
Hirschi attributed a person’s feeling that he or she is free to break the law to the
disintegration or weakening of bonds with society.
In other words, the individual has failed to bond with the social group or society;
in his or her case, socialisation has failed.
The individual who pursues his or her own interests is always prepared to act in
order to secure the advantage for himself.
Society therefore has to exert a restraining influence on this type of behaviour.
When social restraints get slack, self-interest triumphs and crime is committed.
Hirschi therefore regards society’s common value system as being extremely
important.
Elements of the social bond:
Hirschi identifies four dimensions or elements of the social bond, namely attachment,
involvement, commitment and belief.
Attachment
is the most important element because it enjoys the most attention in Hirschi’s
theory.
A young person’s degree of attachment to significant others (e.g. parents,
friends and role models) or to institutions (e.g. school or a club) may inhibit
deviant behaviour.
A test of conformity is to ask juveniles whether it matters what their parents
think of them; Attachment is important in creating conformity, even when
others are delinquent (e.g. parents who have committed crimes for which they
have been convicted).
