Moderate

Fred is a intelligent student Last year he was on the honor roll This year he began hanging out with friends who spend more time playing video games than studying they routinely earn C, s and D, s Over time Fred slowly stops doing his homework and turning in work for extra credit. He drops out of his honors classes and his grades drop out from mostly A, s to C, s Which theory of deviance best explains what has happened here ?

Correct answer: C. differential association theory

  • A. structural strain theory
  • B. social control theory
  • C. differential association theory
  • D. Each of these theories explains the situation equally well

Explanation

Differential association theory explains Fred's change through sustained association with peers who model and reward attitudes favouring leisure over study. Social control theory could explain weakened commitment, but the peer-learning pattern most directly indicates differential association.

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