Authors: Xinling Tian, Abigail Novak, Dr. Marvin Krohn
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Marvin Krohn
College: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
This research paper explores the relationship between different school types and juvenile delinquency in China. Different school types and circumstances may have an effect on the factors of social learning theory, like juveniles’ relationship with friends and families, their future goals, and their definitions about right and wrong, etc., and variation in these factors may affect juvenile behaviors, including juvenile delinquency. To explore the relationship between school types, social learning theory, and delinquency, the author conducted a quantitative self-report survey in mainland China and got 14205 responses national wide. The five school types the author collected from are normal high school, key high school, vocational school, international school, and others. The statistical method that was used in this paper is moderation analysis test; this statistical test examines test whether there is a relationship between each variable in social learning theory and juvenile delinquency, and whether these relationships differ according to school type. Results of this study have important implications for the utility of criminological theory in helping to explain juvenile delinquency among Chinese youth.
Hello Xinling,
How are the findings between American and Chinese studies on social learning different?
So I am applying Social learning theory to explain the situation in China. I find out that differential reinforcement actually has a reverse effect on Juvenile delinquency in China.