p. 57). The use of recreational drugs, viewed from a conflict perspective, thus, might be explained as a behavior designed to insulate the users of such drugs from the effects of the oppression of those individuals and groups able to exercise control in the society.
The social psychological approach to the explanation of social life is the interactionist paradigm (Babbie, 1992, p. 56). Recreational drug use, thus, may be viewed as a behavior designed to gain approval from others, or such behavior may be viewed as an "in your face" reaction to efforts by others to dictate social behavior.
The social psychological paradigm is applied in this current research. A large number of theory groups and separate theories are included in this paradigm. Social learning theory, as an example, posits that individuals learn behaviors by being exposed to such behaviors (Text, pp. 225-226). Control theories, by contrast, hold that all persons have a potential for criminal behavior and that contemporary society afford the opportunity to engage in such behavior (Text, p. 231). Social control theory hypothesizes that unacceptable social behavior is the product of a weakening of the social ties within a society (Text, p. 233). Integrated theories attempt to explain social behavior through the amalgamation of several other theories into a single comprehensive, integrated theory (Text, p. 242).
Within the social learning theory group, neutralization theory, posits that young people learn ways of neutralizing moral restraints, and, as a consequence, drift into and out of criminal behavior patterns (Text, p. 248). A strength of this theory is held to be its ability to explain why many youth delinquents do not become adult criminals (Text, p. 248). There, of course, is the answer: Youthful criminal behavior is nothing more than boys having fun before they grow up and become solid citizens. The real surprise in this theory and other theories in ...