An inadequate social drive conditions personality and produces a high degree of receptivity for over-suggestive influences. The over-suggestible boy and girl who come in conflict with the law are usually considered unstable. The gang is the predominant influence for most delinquent boys. They continue again and again to commit the same acts, partly because they want to and partly because they are told. Many of these young delinquents would do otherwise if removed from the group. The education of over-suggestible children must be carefully planned in the attempt to build up healthy mental attitudes. Training in better control of the emotions and the conditioning of habits is very important. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)