Deviance and Social Control

Chapter 8Pages 175-197

What is Deviance?

Write down two or three examples of a deviant or of deviant behavior

Definition

Behavior that violates significant social norms

Examples of Deviance

Talking to yourself in public

Drag racing on public streets

Using illegal drugs

Cross-dressing

Attacking another person

Is This Man Deviant?

Is He Deviant?

What About This Guy?

Is This Deviant?

Deviant Based on Appearance?

Can someone be labeled as deviant simply based on their appearance?

Research shows that Americans stigmatize people who are highly obese

Why?

Reasons Why

The study indicates Americans see obese people as being impulsive and lacking will-power

Stigmatization

For obese people, the costs are not just emotional but also financial

Obese people are less likely than other Americans to get approved for credit or be promoted at work

Activity

Join a group (Ideally 3-4 people) and discuss other groups that might be unjustly stigmatized

Be sure to state the reasons why these groups are seen as deviant by some people

Each group’s list should contain at least 4 perceived deviant groups in our society

Deviance

Chapter 8Section 1

Pgs 176-185

The Nature of Deviance

Deviance behavior that violates significant social norms

What is considered deviant varies by society can get a divorce in the U.S. but illegal in Philippines

Varies within a society as well

Labeling Someone a Deviant

Involves two acts

Individual must first be detected committing a deviant act

Individual must be stigmatized by society

What is a Stigma?

Stigma mark of social disgrace that sets the deviant apart from the rest of society

Prisoners are forced to wear special clothing

Social Functions of Deviance

1. Clarifying Norms 2. Unifying the Group 3. Diffusing Tension 4. Promoting Social Change 5. Providing Jobs

Clarifying Norms

Defines the boundaries of acceptable behavior

Punishment serves as a warning to others that certain behaviors will not be tolerated

Example? prison sentences discourage crime

Unifying the Group

Conformers vs. outsiders

“Us against them”

Diffusing Tension

When people are unhappy with their lives or social conditions, they may want to strike out at society

Allows individuals to relieve tension

Participating in demonstrations allows people to voice concerns without breaking law

Promoting Social Change

Identifies problem areas

When large numbers of people violate a norm, it is an indication that something in society needs to be changed

Providing Jobs

Provides jobs for people

Judges, lawyers, police officers, prison guards, and parole officers

Criminologists social scientists who study criminal behavior

Explaining Deviance

Sociologists attempt to explain deviance through three different perspectives: Functionalist perspective

Conflict perspective

Interactionist perspective

Functionalist Perspective

Robert Merton

Strain Theory

Views deviance as the natural outgrowth of the values, norms, and structure of society

Anomie

Merton believed that people fall victim to anomie

when norms are unclear or no longer applicable

Conformity

accept both culturally approved goals and the means for achieving these goals; always through legitimate means

Efforts always involve legitimate means

Innovation

Accept cultural goals of society but do not accept the means for achieving these goals

Want money, but get it through other means…drug dealers

Ritualists

find it impossible to achieve cultural goals by acceptable means

Totally abandon goals while continuing expected rules of behavior

Example…worker may pass up a promotion rather than face possible failure

Retreatism

reject both cultural goals and the socially accepted means of obtaining them

Make no effort, drop out of society…drug addicts, beggars, hermits

Rebels

want to substitute new sets of goals and means

Conflict Perspective

Competition and social inequality lead to deviance

Struggle between those with power and those without

Ruling Class vs. Lower Class

Ruling classes label any behavior that threatens their power base as deviant

Lower classes have only limited opportunities in life and are forced to commit acts of deviance

Lower Class

Higher rates of arrest and conviction

Don’t commit more crime than the higher class, just crimes that are more detected and punishable

Interactionist Perspective

Control theory deviance is a natural occurrence

More interested in why they conform as opposed to why they are deviant

Why Conform?

Conform due to social ties

the more integrated into society the less likely you will commit acts of deviance

Self control people with strong self control conform

Other Explanations

Cultural transmission theory deviance is a learned behavior

Differential association frequency and closeness of associations a person has with deviant and nondeviant individuals

How Are You Labeled a Deviant?

Labeling theory how individuals come to be defined as deviant

Primary, secondary, and degradation

Primary Deviance

Nonconformity that goes undetected by those in authority

Don’t consider themselves to be deviant and neither does society

Going over speed limit

Secondary Deviance

results in the individual being labeled as deviant and accepting the label

The individual acknowledges they are deviant

Degradation Ceremony

public setting, such as a trial, the individual is denounced, found guilty and given the new identity of deviant

Life changing event