Deviant instruction: The applicability of social learning theory to understanding cybercrime

Abstract

Although cybercrime is a new phenomenon compared to drug crime or property crime, it has existed long enough for exploration and evaluation with multiple criminological theories. This exploration and evaluation throughout the years has led to some theories gaining prominence within cybercrime research, especially applying social learning theory. The purpose of this chapter is to show the importance of social learning theory as an applicable framework for understanding the origins of cybercrime, as well as to highlight how it has affected policy and programming in the field. In order to carry out these two goals, this text consists of three sections. The first section presents the history of social learning theory. The second section presents current applications of the theory, paying special attention to its use with the investigation of predictors of cybercrime. Lastly, the third section examines the policy implications of these findings.