The Role of Negative Emotion in General Strain Theory

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General Strain Theory (GST) argues that strain leads to negative emotion and that negative emotion leads to criminal behavior. Though GST has received a significant amount of empirical support, past tests of GST have focused primarily on the relationship between stress, anger, and interpersonal aggression. This book expands this research by investigating more emotions, more behaviors, and differences across gender. Literature from the social psychology of emotion is used to develop hypotheses which are tested through a vignette study. Results indicate that certain situations produce certain emotions more so than others, but that negative emotions often co-occur. Some negative emotions precipitate criminal involvement, while others inhibit criminal tendencies. Results also suggest that gender differences in emotional reactions to strain are key in understanding gender differences in criminal behavior. This analysis sheds light on the gendered role of negative emotion in GST and should be useful to those interested in criminological theory.