Interactional Theory

Interactional theory focuses on the social interactions between people and their surrounding environment. Terence Thornberry developed interactional theory from both control and social learning theories in the late 1980s. Thornberry originally suggested using interaction theory to observe and describe reasons for delinquent behavior by combining both theories. Yet, this theory goes beyond singular reasoning for delinquency, and it claims such behavior is associated with the entire adolescent behavior development process. Interactional theory suggests there is a bidirectional causality in determining why delinquent behavior occurs. Originally used by criminologists, interactional theory has expanded into a contemporary approach to question social cognition and is used by sociologists to examine how behaviors are associated with the environment outside of a person’s mental process. Eventually, this theory provided a foundation for the observation of cognitive continuity and change from the ages of 11 to 20 years to understand patterns formed from the environment in which an adolescent resides during these years, inclusive to antisocial, delinquent, and disruptive behaviors that may or may not continue into adulthood. Interactional theory at its core is a series of interactions, which include social, language, symbols, culture, geographics, and any other vehicle of communication that affects one’s development. Human service workers, such as counselors, social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and others can examine one’s developmental history to contextualize and understand how to serve when applying this theory. This entry explains the interactional theory is and how it can lead to delinquency by expounding on the intersections [Page 838]of a weakening bond to conventional societal norms, and the reciprocal influences perpetuating this development.