Citation

Kobayashi E, Farrington DP. Int. J. Comp. Appl. Crim. Justice 2019; 43(4): 309-324.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Society of Criminology's Division of International Criminology, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis)

DOI

10.1080/01924036.2019.1578674

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the current study, by drawing on the literature concerning peer deviance and criminological social learning theory, and on theory and research concerning cultural variability in uncertainty avoidance, we offer a rationale for predicting that peer deviance will be lower among Japanese than among Americans. The lower level of peer deviance among Japanese, in turn, might explain why crime and deviant behaviour are less common in Japan compared to the United States. Analyses of comparable survey data from college students in Japan and the United States (N = 1271) provide strong support for our hypothesis.

Language: en

Keywords

Akers’ social learning theory; Comparative criminology; cross-cultural applicability; Japan-U.S. comparison; peer deviance; student deviance