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More Emotional but Less Criminal? A GST Explanation of Gender Differences in Criminal Behavior
Unformatted Document Text:  Overview Agnew’s (1992) general strain theory (GST) argues that strain is related to criminal behavior. This is because strain (i.e., stress) may lead to negative emotion and negative emotion, in turn, may be alleviated by the commission of criminal acts. Strain theorists also argue that a number of variables moderate the strain/emotion/crime relationship. To explain the gender gap in criminal involvement, GST argues that males and females experience different strains, emotions, and moderators, and that the strain, emotion, and moderating variables often experienced by males are more conducive to criminal responses. Empirical evidence supports the proposition that males are more likely than females to have emotional experiences conducive to crime. Broidy (2001) found that while women and men did not differ in their tendency to experience anger in response to strain, females experienced significantly more negative emotions (e.g., depression, loneliness, guilt, worry) in addition to anger than men. Broidy also found that negative emotions positively predicted legitimate coping strategies and negatively predicted crime, while anger was unrelated to legitimate coping strategies and positively related to crime. These findings therefore not only support the notion that men and women differ in their emotional reactions to strain, but also support the idea that these emotional reactions directly impact the likelihood of male and female criminal involvement. Findings by Hay (2003) and Sigfusdottir et al. (2004) echo this support. In both studies, family conflict (or family strain) was found to have a stronger impact on delinquency for boys than girls. Sigfusdottir et al. found that this was the case because girls were more likely than boys to experience a depressed mood in tandem with their anger. Hay (2003) came to a similar conclusion. He found that while males and females did not significantly differ with regard to anger, females felt significantly more guilt than males. Similar to Broidy’s (2001) findings, Hay found a negative

Authors: Ganem, Natasha.
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Overview
Agnew’s (1992) general strain theory (GST) argues that strain is related to criminal behavior.
This is because strain (i.e., stress) may lead to negative emotion and negative emotion, in turn, may
be alleviated by the commission of criminal acts. Strain theorists also argue that a number of
variables moderate the strain/emotion/crime relationship. To explain the gender gap in criminal
involvement, GST argues that males and females experience different strains, emotions, and
moderators, and that the strain, emotion, and moderating variables often experienced by males are
more conducive to criminal responses.
Empirical evidence supports the proposition that males are more likely than females to have
emotional experiences conducive to crime. Broidy (2001) found that while women and men did not
differ in their tendency to experience anger in response to strain, females experienced significantly
more negative emotions (e.g., depression, loneliness, guilt, worry) in addition to anger than men.
Broidy also found that negative emotions positively predicted legitimate coping strategies and
negatively predicted crime, while anger was unrelated to legitimate coping strategies and positively
related to crime. These findings therefore not only support the notion that men and women differ
in their emotional reactions to strain, but also support the idea that these emotional reactions directly
impact the likelihood of male and female criminal involvement.
Findings by Hay (2003) and Sigfusdottir et al. (2004) echo this support. In both studies,
family conflict (or family strain) was found to have a stronger impact on delinquency for boys than
girls. Sigfusdottir et al. found that this was the case because girls were more likely than boys to
experience a depressed mood in tandem with their anger. Hay (2003) came to a similar conclusion.
He found that while males and females did not significantly differ with regard to anger, females felt
significantly more guilt than males. Similar to Broidy’s (2001) findings, Hay found a negative


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