Testing Situational Action Theory: A narrative review of studies published between 2006 and 2015
| Author | Lieven J.R. Pauwels,Helmut Hirtenlehner,Robert Svensson |
| DOI | 10.1177/1477370817732185 |
| Published date | 01 January 2018 |
| Date | 01 January 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370817732185
European Journal of Criminology
2018, Vol. 15(1) 32 –55
© The Author(s) 2017
Reprints and permissions:
sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/1477370817732185
journals.sagepub.com/home/euc
Testing Situational Action
Theory: A narrative review
of studies published between
2006 and 2015
Lieven J.R. Pauwels
Ghent University, Belgium
Robert Svensson
Malmö University, Sweden
Helmut Hirtenlehner
Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
Abstract
This work provides an overview of the current state of research on Situational Action Theory
(SAT). Studies that have examined core propositions of SAT within the period 2006 to 2015
are reviewed. The principal aim of this narrative review is to answer the following four
questions: (1) Which hypotheses of SAT have been put to the test in empirical enquiries?
(2) What does the empirical evidence say about these propositions? (3) Which statements
of the theory have received little attention? (4) What are the consequences of the results
for future enquiries? An overall finding of this review is that numerous studies have tested
selected propositions of the theory using different methods, data and statistical procedures.
A majority of these studies found some support for the hypotheses tested, but there are also
a few studies that did not back key assumptions of the theory. The reasons for the divergent
results are discussed.
Keywords
deterrence, exposure, morality, propensity, self-control, Situational Action Theory
Corresponding author:
Lieven J.R. Pauwels, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent University, Universiteitstraat 4, Ghent B-9000,
Belgium.
Email: lieven.pauwels@ugent.be
732185EUC0010.1177/1477370817732185European Journal of CriminologyPauwels et al.
research-article2017
Article
Pauwels et al. 33
Introduction
Situational Action Theory (SAT) has been developed by Per-Olof Wikström (2004; 2010;
Wikström et al., 2012; Wikström and Treiber, 2016) over a long time. One of the theory’s
basic ideas, bringing together environment-oriented and person-oriented explanations of
crime, can be traced back to the beginning of the 1990s, when a conference was held on
the integration of ecological and individual factors of crime (Farrington et al., 1993). The
first version of the theory in which the term ‘Situational Action Theory’ was used was
published as a book chapter in an edited work by the late Joan McCord in 2004. Although
the basic propositions of the theory have remained consistent, SAT has undergone refine-
ments in its statements, clarifying key propositions that gave rise to misunderstandings.
Now, in 2016, SAT is a complex integrative mechanism-based action theory that aims to
explain crime as moral action (that is, an action that is guided by value-based rules about
what is right or wrong to do). It achieves a promising integration of person-oriented and
environment-oriented attempts to explain acts of crime (as a special case of rule-break-
ing, namely the breaking of moral rules stated in criminal law) that has triggered much
empirical scrutiny. SAT has borrowed concepts from many theories, but, and this is a
major merit, it has provided sound theoretical arguments for the redefinition of some key
concepts in criminology (in a way that improves the understanding of the aetiology of
crime) and it has foregrounded the interactive interplay of the mechanisms (that is, pro-
cesses that bring about action) involved in crime causation.
Empirically testable propositions derived from the theory have been presented at
European and US criminology conferences since 2004. Although evidence for SAT was
originally primarily drawn from the Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult
Development Study (PADS and PADS+) conducted by the research team at Cambridge
University, a number of scholars from other, up to now mostly European, countries have
gradually shown interest in the theory and begun to assess key propositions of it with
their own data. We examined empirical tests of SAT that were published between 2006
and 2015, and comment on the empirical evidence so far. We realize that this is a short-
coming, because newer empirical tests may have been accepted and published by the
time this article is published. However, by looking back at the results that were presented
during the first decade of the theory’s existence, we are able to carefully evaluate some
core propositions of SAT and draw preliminary conclusions that can guide further empir-
ical tests of the theory. A period of roughly 10 years is a good starting point for summa-
rizing the state of research and for discussing the lessons learned in this decade.
In detail, this narrative review addresses the following questions:
Which hypotheses of SAT have been put to the test in empirical enquiries?
What does the empirical evidence say about the statements of the theory?
Which elements of the theory have received little attention?
What are the consequences of the findings for future enquiries?
The structure of the article is as follows. First we provide a brief introduction of SAT
and its key assumptions. A more detailed description of the theory – one that is authored
by Per-Olof Wikström – can be found in the first contribution to this Special Issue. Next,
Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI
Get Started for FreeStart Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
