Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Psicothema, 2002. Vol. Vol. 14 (Suplem.1). 63-71
Eugenio Garrido Martín, Carmen Herrero Alonso, Jaume Masip Pallejá
Universidad de Salamanca
1063 jóvenes entre 14 y 21 años de la ciudad de Salamanca son entrevistados sobre sus conductas delictivas siguiendo un modelo desarrollado en la Unión Europea. Además de preguntarles por sus conductas problemáticas y delictivas se les pregunta sobre su autoeficacia para cometer cada una de las conductas del cuestionario. En el estudio se demuestra a) que los sujetos que han entrado en la carrera delictiva cometen todo tipo de conductas delictivas y problemáticas. B) que existen variables socio-demográficas y ambientales que explican esa conducta delictiva c) pero que todas esas variables tienen poco valor de predicción cuando se comparan con la autoeficacia para delinquir. Tomada la decisión de desvincularse moralmente, el sujeto pasa al mundo de la desvinculación moral/legal en el que la conducta se explica por los mismos procesos que en la conducta no delictiva. Desde esta nueva explicación criminológica se interpretan las aportaciones de otras teorías el delito.
Self-efficacy and delinquency. 1063 participant (age 14-21 yrs) from Salamanca were interviewed regarding their criminal behaviour according the model developed in European Union. In addition to problem and delinquent behaviour they recorded their perceived self-efficacy for committing the offenses described in the questionaire. This study reveals that (a) people who beging a “career” as a criminal continue to carry out all kinds of criminal and problem behaviours; (b) sociodemographic and enviromental variables are related to delinquent behaviour, and (c) nevertheless, those variables are of little predictive value compared to judgment of self-efficacy for delinquency. Once they make a decision on moral disengagement grounds they engage in activities in the moral/legal sphere so that transgressive behaviour is accounted for by the same processes as non-criminal behaviour. Thus contributions of other theories of crime are interpreted within a new criminological explanation.
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