Ronald L. Akers

Ronald L. Akers (1939–2020) was an American criminologist best known for developing the Social Learning Theory of crime, which expanded upon Edwin H. Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory. Drawing from behavioral psychology and symbolic interactionism, Akers integrated the principles of operant conditioning into criminology, explaining how deviant behavior is learned and reinforced. His extensive empirical research examined delinquency, substance use, and criminal careers, making him one of the most influential figures in late 20th-century criminological theory.

Akers’ Social Learning Theory provided a comprehensive framework for understanding how individuals adopt deviant or conforming behaviors through interaction, reinforcement, and imitation. His work bridged sociological theory with psychological learning models, influencing policy, prevention, and intervention strategies in criminology.

Interview

This video interview was conducted as part of the Oral History of Criminology Project, an initiative dedicated to documenting the intellectual biographies of leading criminologists. In this conversation, Ronald Akers reflects on the development of social learning theories and his career in criminology.