The Social Bond Theory - 854 Words

In 1969, Travis Hirschi developed what is known as Social Bond Theory. Hirschi built on the work of other social control theorists and was able to provide a better picture of what social bond is. In Social Bond Theory there are four basic elements that make up social bonds. They are attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief. It is these four bonds that all humans hold and ultimately determine conformity or deviant behavior(Agnew, 1985). The four bonds are imperative in determining a person’s conformity or deviance to society. When bonds are weak, Hirschi saw that a person becomes â€Å"free† to engage in delinquency (Williams McShane, 2010). The first bond, which is attachment, deals with the relationship one has with parents,†¦show more content†¦In essence, belief deals with and individual’s conception of right and wrong and the belief that society is generally fair in the rules it holds. Obeying the law and its authorities is a big part o f belief. The more an individual obeys and conforms to these laws and rules, the less likely they will engage in deviant behavior. The weaker the belief system of and individual is, the more likely deviance will occur. When looking at belief one can see that an individual has a common set of values held by society. This would make it a consensus theory on the grounds that all of society has a common set of values. When looking at these bonds researchers are clear that all these bonds affect an individual and society. These bonds show that all individuals exhibit some bonding to society and researchers are then concerned with how much bonds need to be weakened before criminal behavior starts to take place. However, what is unclear to researchers is how the weakening of one bond can affect the strength of the others. Another concern researchers have is what kind of effects the varying degrees produce (Williams McShane, 2010). In classifying Social Bond Theory, the first point to identify is that it is representative of the Positivist School of thought. It has a focus on human behavior and pathology and believes that rehabilitation through the increasing influence of schools, family,Show MoreRelatedThe Theory Of Social Bonds1159 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theory of Social Bonds Why do people abide by the rules? Travis Hirshi in 1969, believed that criminal behavior is controlled by societal ties or social bonds. The Social Bond Theory states that humans behave conventional through the power of internalized norms, conscious, and the desire for approval. When the individuals bonds breaks between the family, friends, or school, the individual then becomes free to engage in deviant and or criminal activity. This theory can be broken down into fourRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Bond Theory910 Words   |  4 PagesEven though all four components of the social bond theory are important, but I consider attachment to be a key component. With the lack of attachment in one’s life, there is no difference between doing a good or bad act as you do not have someone to impress or do not care what one might think about you. And due to the absence of attachment one might commit crime because they do not have strong ties with families and friends. Strong ties with fam ily and friends sometimes held you back from committingRead MoreSocial Bond And Social Learning Theory1570 Words   |  7 Pageson which theory of crime is most accurate. Currently, social bond and social learning theory are two of the leading theories in the criminological world. Between these two theories there are a variety of differences and similarities. 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The social bond theory can be described as the belief that socialization and personal relationships are significantRead MoreSocial Bond Theory Essay2308 Words   |  10 PagesSocial Bond Theory Kevin Pascual Sociology 100 10/25/12 Social Bond Theory In 1969, a man named Travis Hirschi wrote and proposed something called the Social Control Theory. This theory can be applied in numerous kinds of ways when trying to address and solved social problems dealing with adolescents delinquent behavior. Before we can try to apply the Social Bond Theory, we must first understand the components and definition of the theoryRead MoreDurkheim s Theory Of Social Bonds1339 Words   |  6 Pagesestablished many sociological theories throughout his time that still are relevant today and have been studied by many sociologists during his time and now currently. One of the more popular theories that has been altered slightly but still used today is Durkheim’s Anomie Theory. 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This theory believes criminal motivation is in fact not an individualRead MoreTravis Hirschi Social Bond Theory980 Words   |  4 PagesProtected* Populations – Examples include, but are not limited to: Children/Minors (under the age of 18) (Exception – projects conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings involving normal educational practices. Contact IRB office for guidance.) Prisoners (now includes non-publicly available secondary data) Pregnant women Fetuses and products of labor and delivery People with diminished capacity to give consent Mentally or