Question

The parents of a deviant child often want to find some way to excuse their offspring’s behavior, and it is common to hear them say, "He just fell in with a bad crowd." Which symbolic interactionist theory of deviance does this explanation most closely resemble?

Answer 1

Answer: Differential Association theory by Edwin Sutherland which states that "Children learn to be Deviant through their Association with Deviant peers"

Explanation: Edwin Sutherland,is an American born Sociologist and criminologist who lived between August 1883 to October 1950, he majored in Criminology and political Economy.

He believes that a person will only commit a crime if he has been influenced by the peers he associates with,to him a child will only be Deviant through his or her Association with Deviant peers, he also believes that normal learning can occur both verbally and non verbal processes.