GENDER DIFFERENCES IN FACTORS OF SOCIAL-CONTROL AND RATIONAL CHOICE

Although previous research in the area of rational choice and social c ontrol has often included gender as a control variable, few studies ha ve reported statistical tests for difference in associations between k ey variables and offending for men and women. Using scenario data from a sample of university students, this study examines gender differenc es in levels of explanatory variables and identifies significant gende r differences in the effects that these variables have on intentions t o commit drunk driving and shoplifting. Findings show significant gend er differences in mean scores for virtually all of the variables; furt hermore, certain variables have stronger effects on intentions to offe nd for women than for men, and vice versa. The influence of some inter nal controls and motivations appears to be significantly more pronounc ed in predicting women's intentions to drive drunk and shoplift, where as men's intentions to shoplift are more affected by prior offending. Findings also indicate that perceived threats of shame account for mos t of the effects of gender on intentions to offend. We conclude that f uture research and theory construction must account for the developmen tal processes that produce offending discrepancies between men and wom en.