ISRD3 Conference Amersfoort June 2017

1. Prof. Dr. Lieven J.R. Pauwels
t. +32 9 264 68 37
f. +32 9 264 84 94
Lieven.Pauwels @UGent.be
Breaking moral norms and troublesome
youth group involvement
Testing an integrative informal control-
lifestyle theory
Lieven Pauwels (IRCP-Ghent University)
Ann De Buck (IRCP-Ghent University)

2. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• (1) The integrated informal control – lifestyle
theory of youth offending and troublesome
youth group involvement
• (Osgood et al. 1996; Howdon, 1996; Hoeben & Weerman, 2016, Pauwels & Svensson, 2013; Svensson
& Pauwels 2010)
• (2) DATA (ISRD3-Belgium) & Analytical
Strategy
• (3) Results of Path Models
• (4) Implications and discussion
Structure of the presentation
2

3. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• Integrated theory of action (Pauwels & Hardyns, 2016)
• General theories vs MRT (Opp, 2009; Wikström et al.,2012)
• Research programme: comparing theories (Opp & Wippler, 1990)
• “Integrated and unequal is better”
• “Microfoundations: complex structural individualism aka systemism”
• Crime & PYG in systems as “situated choice”
• Composition (demographics, individual characteristics)
• Environment (context of development and context of action)
• Structures (bonds)
• Mechanisms (decision-rules: deliberative vs habitual mode)
• = Theoretical building blocks (“proto-theory”)
• This way of theorizing = Analytical criminology
• Highly informative and testable theories
Integrated informal control-lifestyle model
3

4. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• Accumulation of negative life-events
• Contexts of development (domain-specific risk accumulation) :
• Ecological context: neighborhood disorder, school crime
• Family bonds: attachment, disclosure, monitoring, control
• School bonds: school commitment, teacher-pupil relations & trust
• -> negatively affects the “moral sense”
• -> increases the likelihood of developing a risky lifestyle
• Lifestyles represent:
• exposure to situational inducements
• Is this general framework capable of explaining:
• Individual differences in offending?
• Individual differences in troublesome youth group involvement?
Integrated informal control-lifestyle model
4

5. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• Law-like situational mechanism:
• “The lower the moral sense, the higher the likelihood of exposure
to criminogenic settings.”
• Initial condition:
• “The higher the accumulation of risk factors in social bonds,
neighborhood conditions and strains, the lower the moral sense.”
• ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Explanandum: Why is the accumulation of domain specific risk
conditions related to differential involvement in offending and
troublesome youth groups?
Testable propositions (H-O-scheme)
5

6. 6
Ecological context
of development
Family context of
development
School context of
development
Negative life-
events
Moral
sense
Exposure
Troublesome
Youth Group
Offending
Conceptual model
BASIC IDEA: INDIRECT CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ADVERSE CONDITIONS

7. 7
Ecological context
of development
Family context of
development
School context of
development
Negative life-
events
Anticipated
shame
Exposure
Troublesome
Youth Group
Offending
Ability to resist
temptation &
provocation
Moral norms
Moral sense = multidimensional
Conceptual model
BASIC IDEA: INDIRECT CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ADVERSE CONDITIONS

8. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• ISRD3 Belgian data (additional questions on school social bond
(teacher-pupil relations, locus of control, depression, …). See
theory of societal vulnerability (Vettenburg et al. 2013)
• Data collection:
• Technical report Flemish Region: Pauwels, Pleysier, Vettenburg (2015): Ghent & Aalst
• Technical report Walloon Region: Gavray (2015): Liège & Verviers
• School-based PAPI survey (pre-tested in 2013)
• N= 4758 (total sample)
Data
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9. Methods
• Mplus 7 (Muthén &
Muthén)
• SEM: combining linear and
non-linear modelling (log-
linear path models)
• Evaluation model fit:
RMSEA / CFI
• Measures:
• Cumulative measures for:
family social bond, school
social bond, ecological
context of development,
negative life events
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10. Results
10

11. 11
Ecological context
of development
Family context of
development
School context of
development
Negative life-
events
Low moral
sense
Exposure
Troublesome
Youth Group
Offending
0.26
0.28
0.23
0.08
0.16
0.22
0.28
0.11
0.17
0.49
0.46
0.29
0.39
Model Fit RMSEA: 0.045 CFI:0.98

12. 12
Ecological context
of development
Family context of
development
School context of
development
Negative life-
events
Anticipated
shame
Exposure
Troublesome
Youth Group
Offending
Ability to resist
temptation &
provocation
Moral norms
-0.11
-0.08
0.48
0.42
-0.17
-0.13
-0.25
-0.13
-0.18
-0.21
-0.23
-0.04
-0.08
-0.22
-0.10
-0.18
-0.23
Model fit: RMSEA: 0.042 CFI: 0.99
-0.22
-0.24
-0.17
-0.18
0.17

13. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• Similarities in the explanation of TYG and Offending
• Ecological contexts of development:
• Strong cumulative effects of social bonding mechanisms on the
moral sense
• Weak effect of negative life events on the “moral complex”
• Strongest direct effects of “moral complex and “risky lifestyles”
• Moral emotions have independent effect (cognition + affect, see
Van Gelder et al, 2013; Loewenstein, 2008)
• Further research into DUAL-PROCESS THEORIES of decision-
making during situational exposure
Summary of findings
13

14. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
Thank you for your attention! Any questions?
14

15. research publications consultancy conferences
www.ircp.org
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
+32 9 264 68 37
Lieven.PAuwels@UGent.be
• Agnew, R. (2011). Toward a unified criminology: Integrating assumptions about crime, people and
society. NYU Press.
• Bunge, M. (2000). Systemism: the alternative to individualism and holism. The Journal of Socio-
Economics, 29(2), 147-157.
• Hoeben, E. M., & Weerman, F. M. (2016). Why is involvement in unstructured socializing related to
adolescent delinquency?. Criminology, 54(2), 242-281.
• Pauwels, L., Hardyns, W. (2016). Problematic Youth Group Involvement as Situated Choice; Testing
an integrated Conditions-Controls-Exposure Model. The Hague: Eleven.
• Pauwels, L.J.R., Svensson, R. (2013). Violent Youth Group Involvement, Self-reported Offending and
Victimization: an Empirical Assessment of an Integrated Informal Control / Lifestyle Model,
European Journal of Criminal Policy & Research. 19 (4): 369–386
• Sapolsky, R. (2017) , The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst.
• Svensson, R., Bruinsma, G., Pauwels, L.J.R, Bernasco, W. (2013). Moral emotions and offending: Do
feelings of anticipated shame and guilt mediate the effect of socialization on offending? European
Journal of Criminology, 10 (1): 22-39.
• Pauwels, L., Svensson, R (2009). Individual Differences In Adolescent Life Style Risk By Gender And
Ethnic Background: A Test in Two Urban Samples, European Journal of Criminology. 6 (1): 5-23.
• Wikstrom, P. O. H., & Butterworth, D. A. (2006). Adolescent Crime. Routledge.
• Wikström POH Oberwittler D Treiber K and Hardie B (2012) Breaking rules: The social and
situational dynamics of young people's urban crime: Oxford University Press.
• Wikström, P. O. H., & Sampson, R. J. (2003). Social mechanisms of community influences on crime
and pathways in criminality. Causes of conduct disorder and juvenile delinquency, 118-148.
References
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16. www.ircp.org
Contact
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
t. +32 9 264 68 37
f. +32 9 264 84 94
Lieven.Pauwels@UGent.be
IRCP
Ghent University
Universiteitstraat 4
B – 9000 Ghent