Chapter III
Study Frameworks
Theoretical Framework
The Social Bond theory was formulated by Travis Hirschi(1969), and was
used to explain deviant behaviors such as stealing, smoking, drinking, ditching
school, and whatnot. According to Hirschi, we are moral beings to the extent we
are social beings and that we are in need of a social bond, which essentially
refers to the "connection between the individual and the society" (Shoemaker,
1996).
The theory simply posits that deviance occurs when the social bond becomes
weak. When an individual lacks connection to the society, it is more likely that
he/she will develop such deviant behavior. The social bond, according to
Hirschi(1969), has four elements: attachment, commitment, involvement, and
belief.
According to Hirschi, the first element of social bond, attachment, is the tie
that an individual has to significant others such as family members. Attachment
involves the degree to which the individual has affectional and emotional ties to
these people, their relationship with them, and how they identify with them. The
theory states that the less attachment the individual has, the more likely he/she is
to engage in any deviant behavior.
The second element is commitment, which refers to the individual's
investment of time, energy and resources in conventional activities such as
getting an education. The Social Bond theory posits that individuals with strong
commitments do not want to jeopardize that by engaging in any deviant behavior .
The third element of the social bond is involvement. This refers to the amount
of time an individual spends engaging in conventional activities . According to the
Social Bond theory, individuals involved in such activities simply do not have the
time to engage in any deviant behavior.
The last element is belief. It is the acceptance of the conventional moral
system which includes a general acceptance of rules and regulations given as
well respect for authority. The Social Bond theory states that any weakening of
such belief increases the likelihood that an individual will engage in any deviant
behavior.
The diagram on the next page shows the elements of Hirschi's Social Bond
Theory and its relationship with this study. The weakening of one or more of the
elements of social bond as stated in the Social Bond theory results in deviant
behavior, which will be measured by the researchers of this study according to
frequency and level and will be compared with the individual's performance in a
certain field.
Elements of Social Bond
(Social Bond Theory)
Deviant Behavior
Level
Frequency
Academic
Performance
Figure 1. Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework of this study takes the Social Bond theory
designed by Hirschi which explains how individuals with stronger social bonds in
the four elements defined are less likely to concur deviant behavior and acts in
their lifestyle. Theoretically, the theory further explains how the respondents of this
study with strong social bonds may avoid acts of deviancy due to to their strong
bonds in their attachment to other people, commitment, involvement in various
activities and their acceptance to the conventional moral system. This would
denote that students who do not have a strong social bond may commit acts of
deviancy or may encompass a deviant behavior due to the weakening of one or
more of the elements defined by Hirschi in his theory. Based on this theory, the
researchers theorize that students who have a healthy interaction with their
friends and families, are fully committed and involved in their studies, and wholly
accept the moral system in their life are less likely to indulge in deviant acts such
as drinking alcoholic beverages that may affect their academic performance.
In the first element Hirschi identified in the Social Bond theory, a healthy
degree of affection and emotional ties that a student has with those around
him/her greatly contributes to his/her social bond. As students are fully enveloped
in the daily interactions with those in his/her environment, the theory expounds
that this attachment to families and peers aid the student in avoiding deviant
behaviour. In similar fashion, the students who do not have any attachments with
the their family, friends or society in general, may engage in such behavior due to
the absence of any affectional or emotional ties.
The second element, commitment, is applicable to the students in terms of the
level of commitment they have in their education. The students' commitment to
their studies is determined by the degree of hard work and determination that they
show in the various schoolworks assigned to them. The respondents' investment
of their time, energy and resources to their studies indicate their commitment to
their education. Thus, students with strong commitments do not want to
jeopardize their academic standing through deviant behavior, opting to stray away
from acts that may hinder their learning. Students with no commitment, however,
have no interest in maintaining a decent academic performance, hence indulging
in deviant behavior, such as vices, do not seem like an impediment in their life.
Involvement, which is the third element of Hirschi's theory, explains how
students who participate and involve themselves in various conventional,
organizational or school-based activities are less likely to engage in deviant
behaviour due to the lack of time in doing them. As they are preoccupied with the
different activities that they have involved themselves to, these students simply do
not have the time for deviancy, compared to their counterparts.
Lastly, the students' acceptance of the conventional moral system plays a
significant role in their avoidance of deviancy. These students respect authority
and follow strict observance to the rules and regulations imposed upon them in
their educational institution. Hence, these students do not engage in deviant
behaviour due to their firm belief of the moral system. Likewise, students who do
not accept the moral system are more prone to committing acts of deviancy
because they do not conform to any law, rule or regulation.
Figure 2 on the next page illustrates the flow of the fundamental concepts
of the study. According to the Social Bond theory, if a student has little or no
commitment and involvement in school organizations and extra-curricular
activities, or if their commitment and involvement is weak, it is more likely that
he/she participates in alcohol drinking.
Weak Commitment and
Involvement in School
Organizations and
Extra-Curricular Activities
Alcohol Consumption
Frequency
Level
Students' Academic
Performance
Figure 2. Conceptual Framework
Operational Framework
Alcohol drinking is not a unique case among schools and among students.
In this operational framework, the researchers assumed that alcohol drinking
occurs in the University of the Philippines Cebu College and that second year and
third year students are involved in it.
The researchers assumed that the commitment and involvement, two
elements of social bond as stated in the Social Bond theory, of the student to
academics, school organizations, and extra-curricular activities can refrain them
from drinking. Thus, if their commitment and involvement are little, the
researchers assume that these students engage to any vices, drinking for this
matter, and are showing low performance in academics.
The diagram on the next page shows the researchers' assumptions of the
study. Weak or no membership, little commitment and participation to academics,
school organizations, and extra-curricular activities result in, according to the
Social Bond theory, an increased chance that the students engage in alcohol
consumption. Then it was assumed that a large estimate in the number of times
and amount of alcohol consumption results to a poor academic performance of
the second and third year college students of the University of the Philippines
Cebu.
Membership and Level of
Participation in School
Organizations, Academics, and
Extra-Curricular Activities
Alcohol Consumption
Estimate Number of
Estimate Amount of
Times Alcohol is
Alcohol Consumption
Consumed
in one session
Academic Performance
of Second and Third Year
Students of UP Cebu
Figure 3. Operational Framework