Travis Hirschi’s Social Bonds Theory (1969) is one of the most influential control theories in criminology. Rather than asking why people commit crime, Hirschi asks why they conform to rules at all. He argues that human beings have a natural tendency toward deviance, and that conformity results from effective social control rooted in strong social bonds. By identifying four key elements—attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief—Hirschi offers a systematic explanation of how social integration restrains deviant impulses.
Social Bonds Theory
Main Proponent: Travis Hirschi
First Publication: 1969
Country of Origin: United States
Core Idea: People naturally tend toward deviance, but strong social bonds prevent it. Conformity results from attachment to others, commitment to goals, involvement in conventional activities, and belief in societal norms.
Foundation For: General Theory of Crime, Control Theories
Theory
Hirschi’s theory starts with the assumption that delinquency is the natural state. He turns the typical criminological question on its head: not „Why do people offend?“ but „Why don’t they?“ His answer is social control—specifically, the strength of an individual’s bonds to society. When these bonds are strong, people conform to rules; when weak, they are more likely to offend.
Unlike theories that emphasize peer influence (e.g. Differential Association Theory), Hirschi argues that adolescents do not necessarily become delinquent because of deviant friends; rather, weak social bonds leave them vulnerable to delinquent peer groups in the first place.
Attachment
Attachment refers to emotional and social ties to significant others, especially family. Strong attachment to parents, teachers, and prosocial peers fosters conformity. However, attachment to deviant peers can have the opposite effect, promoting deviance.
Commitment
Commitment reflects the investment an individual makes in conventional goals (e.g. education, career). The greater the investment, the more one has to lose through deviance. A student who works hard to maintain good grades, for example, risks losing future opportunities if expelled for misconduct.
Involvement
Involvement describes participation in conventional activities. Structured commitments such as school, sports, work, or family life reduce opportunities for deviant behavior by occupying time and fostering self-discipline.
Belief
Belief refers to the internalization of societal norms and values. The more strongly individuals believe in the moral validity of the law, the less likely they are to violate it. When belief weakens, the intrinsic motivation to obey declines.
Attachment: A teenager who has a close, trusting relationship with their parents is less likely to offend because they care about their parents’ approval and do not want to disappoint them.
Commitment: A student investing time and effort into getting good grades and planning for university is deterred from crime because they have more to lose (e.g. expulsion or a criminal record threatening future opportunities).
Involvement: A young person who spends their time in structured activities like sports teams, part-time work, or volunteer projects has less free time and fewer opportunities to engage in delinquency.
Belief: Someone who has internalized strong moral values and believes in the importance of laws is less likely to offend because breaking the rules would violate their own sense of right and wrong.
Implications for Criminal Policy
Hirschi’s theory suggests that effective crime prevention should focus on strengthening social bonds. Policies might include family support programs, mentoring, education, employment opportunities, and community engagement—all aimed at reinforcing attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. For further development of these ideas, see the General Theory of Crime.
Critical Appraisal & Relevance
Hirschi’s Social Bonds Theory is widely regarded as a landmark in criminology, shifting the focus from motivations for crime to the conditions supporting conformity. Empirical research generally supports strong links between attachment and commitment and lower delinquency. However, findings for involvement are inconsistent, and belief is often difficult to measure reliably.
Critics argue that Hirschi assumes deviance as a natural tendency without explaining its origins. The theory struggles to account for white-collar crime, where offenders often have strong social bonds. Moreover, Hirschi downplays the role of peer influence, which learning theories emphasize.
Notably, Hirschi himself critiqued and revised his approach in 1990, co-developing the General Theory of CrimeActs or omissions that violate criminal laws and are punishable by the state. with Michael Gottfredson to include self-control as a central explanatory factor.
Literature
Primary Literature
- Hirschi, Travis (1969): Causes of Delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Secondary Literature
- Krohn, M., & Massey, J. (1980). Social Control and Delinquent Behavior: An Examination of the Elements of the Social Bond. The Sociological Quarterly, 21(4), 529-544.
- Agnew, Robert (1985). Social Control Theory and Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test. Criminology, 23(1), 47-61.