Low Self‐control and Opportunity: Testing the General Theory of Crime as an Explanation for Gender Differences in Delinquency*

Abstract

This research tests Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime as an explanation for gender differences in the delinquency of approximately 2,000 Canadian secondary school students. Separate psychological factors, including a preference for risk seeking, impulsivity, temper, present oriented, and carelessness, are used as measures of self‐control, and additional measures of the construct are taken from the frequency of self‐reported smoking and drinking. Elements of delinquent opportunity are controlled for by including measures of parental/adult super‐vision. These measures and their interactions are used to predict self‐reported general delinquency, property offenses, violence, and drug offenses. Results provide partial support for the general theory, revealing relationships between measures of self‐control and delinquency that vary by magnitude across genders and for different offense types. Implications for the generality of the theory are discussed.

Gender Differences in the Association Between Cyberbullying Victimization and Perpetration: The Role of Anger Rumination and Traditional Bullying Experiences

“…Previous experiences of aggression in TB might also lead to the exacerbation of aggressive behaviors in cyberspace (Li 2007;Smith et al 2008). Studies investigating gender differences in delinquency suggest that the underlying mechanisms of participation in violent behaviors are the same for males and females (LaGrange and Silverman 1999). Furthermore, it has been found that male and female delinquency share the same risk factors (e.g., antisocial attitudes, educational problems, poor family attachment), providing further confirmation that the psychological mechanisms of offending might not differ across gender (Simourd and Andrews 1994).…”

Risk and Punishment Revisited. Errors in Variables and in the Lab

“…It has been claimed theoretically that criminals must in equilibrium be risk-seeking (Becker, 1968). Empirical evidence is only correlational, but supports the point (Cochran, Wood and Arneklev, 1994;De Li, 2004;LaGrange and Silverman, 1999). Hence those individuals whose behavior society is most interested to change by the experience of punishment are actually most sensitive to this experience.…”

Genderverschillen en deviant gedrag

“…Mogelijk is dit het gevolg van intensiever ouderlijk toezicht op dochters dan op zonen gedurende de socialisatie (Svensson, 2003). Het verschil in de mate van zelfcontrole tussen jongens en meisjes kan een deel van de genderkloof in deviant en delinquent gedrag verklaren (Lagrange & Silverman, 1999;Tittle, Ward & Grasmick, 2003). Bovendien blijkt uit sommige studies dat de relatie tussen zelfcontrole en delinquent gedrag sterker is voor jongens dan voor meisjes (Burton e.a., 1998;Moffitt e.a., 2001;Wong, Slotboom & Bijleveld, 2010).…”

“…Jongens en meisjes kunnen van elkaar verschillen in zowel de aanwezigheid van deze persoonlijkheidskenmerken (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990; Moffit e.a., 2001), als in de invloed van deze kenmerken op deviant gedrag (Burton, Cullen, Evans, Alarid & Dunaway, 1998;Junger-Tas e.a., 2004;Lagrange & Silverman, 1999). Zo worden bij jongens vaker externaliserende psychosociale gedragsproblemen geconstateerd, zoals ADHD en agressie, terwijl meisjes zich vaker sociaal terugtrekken of depressieve stemmingen hebben.…”