Which theory posits that deviant behavior is learned through association with others who approve or engage in it?

• A. Strain Theory
• B. Differential Association
• C. Labeling Theory
• D. Routine Activity Theory

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is that deviant behavior is learned through social interaction with others who approve or engage in it. Differential Association theory, proposed by Edwin Sutherland, holds that people pick up definitions favorable to deviance from the groups they spend time with. Through close and frequent contact, individuals learn not only techniques for committing deviance but also the justifications, motives, and attitudes that make it seem acceptable. The more someone is exposed to peers who approve of or engage in deviant acts, the more those definitions can shape their own behavior.

This contrasts with explanations that emphasize external pressures or opportunities rather than learning. Strain Theory would focus on the pressure created by a mismatch between culturally valued goals and the means to achieve them. Labeling Theory highlights how being labeled as deviant by others can lead to a self-fulfilling cycle of further deviance. Routine Activity Theory centers on the situational elements—a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of guardianship—that make deviance more likely in a given setting, rather than on social learning.