Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Self-control theory (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990) has been among the most researched theories of crime and delinquency in recent years. A variety of evidence has supported the argument that self-control predicts antisocial behavior and is a stable trait throughout life. However, little research has investigated the implications of self-control theory within a social network framework. This paper focuses on the friendship networks of individuals and tests hypotheses drawn from self-control theory that have not been previously explored. This study employs the statnet (Handcock et al 2005) package in R to focus on the characteristics of self-control in a social network using data from The National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Contrary to Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) claims, the findings suggest that self-control plays a minimal role in peer friendships. Specifically, self-control does not lead to more friends nor is the level of self-control a salient characteristic of peer groups. The paper ends with a discussion of the impact of these findings for research regarding peers, delinquency, and crime and potential extensions.