Displacement Theory is the idea that removing the opportunity for a behavior to occur will not prevent the behavior entirely; instead, it simply changes the conditions under which the behavior occurs. Displacement Theory differs from Coupling Theory because it assumes that a behavior will inevitably occur, regardless of circumstance. In contrast, Coupling Theory suggests that behaviors are linked with a particular set of circumstances and will not occur if those circumstances are removed. Gladwell primarily discusses Displacement Theory in relation to crime prevention, notably Larry Sherman’s Kansas City experiments in crime prevention in the 1990s.
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Displacement Theory Term Timeline in Talking to Strangers
The timeline below shows where the term Displacement Theory appears in Talking to Strangers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Ten: Sylvia Plath
Gladwell calls the former option—that people could simply choose an alternate method of suicide—displacement. This theory suggests that when a person’s mind is set about doing something, they are...
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...to commit suicide, such as town gas. On the other hand, if suicide is a displaced behavior, then one would expect suicide rates to remain constant over time. To determine if...
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