Listening to “Ear Hustle” and reading the recent units, I can apply the social learning theory to the Tommy Shakur Ross case. The social learning theory means that the person learns behavior from seeing others; you learn behaviors by observing and start acting like the person you are observing. Shakur grew up in a tough neighborhood. As he explained his upbringing, he talked about the gang members he looked up to. Shakur explained that he wanted to have “ghetto Fame.” He also claimed he looked up to criminals who did crimes and wanted to be just like them. I believe the social learning theory fits into this real-life case scenario. Shakur joined a gang due to the lack of role models that surrounded his neighborhood. All he saw were gang members who made the lifestyle look flashy; as he states, seeing members hop out of nice cars with guns, he wanted to be like them. One of his friends was a gang member, making it easier for him to become a part of a gang. The Social Learning Theory highlights learning through observation; it doesn’t address significant social issues or other factors influencing Tommy’s choices. Factors like poverty and limited opportunities might have significantly influenced Tommy’s options and pushed him toward the gang lifestyle.
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