Deviance

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Deviance

• 8.1

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Essential Questions

• What are the nature and social functions of
  deviance?
• How do the theories that have been proposed to
  explain deviance compare?

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Key Terms

• Deviance
• Stigma
• Criminologists
• Strain Theory
• Anomie
• Control Theory
• Cultural Transmission Theory

• Labeling Theory
• Primary Deviance
• Secondary Deviance
• Degradation Ceremony

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Deviance

• Behavior that violates significant social norms.
• Continuously talking to oneself in public
• Drag racing on a street or highway
• Using illegal drugs
• A man wearing womens clothing
• Attacking another person with a weapon

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Values

• Collecticve Idea of what is right/wrong, good/bad
  desirable/undiserable in a particular culture
• Core American values

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Norms

• Established rules of behavior or conduct.
• Formal and informal norms (those written vs.
  unwritten)
• Folkways
• Mores
• Laws

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Nature of Deviance

• Every society has countless norms which govern
  behavior., these are called values
• Because there are so many norms, violations are
  inevitable and unavoidable.
• NOT all norm violations are considered deviant.

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• What is considered deviant can vary from society
  to society.
• Divorce is legal in the US
• Divorce is illegal in the Phillipines
• Typically repeating an offense can label you as
  deviant.
• Two components required to label you as deviant.
• You must be committing a deviant act
• You must be stigmatized by society.

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Stigma

• The mark of social disgrace that sets the deviant
  apart from the rest of society.
• Stigmas have been used as a form of social
  control throughout history.
• Example Ancient Greeks would burn symbols into
  the bodies of criminals to warn others.
• Example Prison inmates wear uniformed clothing
  and are assigned a number. (Visual Stigma)

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• When sociologists talk about stigmas they are
  usually referring to the negative social
  reactions that result from being labeled deviant.
  
• That person is no longer seen as being normal or
  whole by society.

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The Social Functions of Deviance

• Emile Durkheim observed that deviance has some
  uses in social life.
• Deviance helps to clarify norms, unify the group,
  diffuse tension, and promote social change.
• Deviance also helps to create jobs, such as law
  enforcement.

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The Social Functions of DevianceClarifying Norms

• Deviance serves to define the boundaries of
  acceptable behavior.
• When rules are broken we are reminded of the
  norms that guide social life.
• Punishment serves as a reminder that certain
  behaviors will not be tolerated by society.

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The Social Functions of DevianceUnifying the
Group

• Deviance also serves to draw the line between
  conforming members of society and outsiders, or
  the non-conforming members.
• Reinforces the sense of community and the belief
  in shared values.

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The Social Functions of DevianceDiffusing
Tension

• When people are unhappy with their lives or
  social conditions, they may want to strike out
  against society.
• Minor acts of deviance serve as a safety valve.
• These acts relieve tension without disrupting the
  basic fabric of society.

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The Social Functions of DeviancePromoting
Social Change

• Deviance can help prompt social change by
  identifying problem areas.
• When large numbers of people violate a particular
  norm it is often an indication that something in
  society needs to be changed.

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The Social Functions of DevianceProviding Jobs

• Deviance provides jobs for many people.
• Lawyers, Judges, Police Officers, Prison
  Personnel, Parole Officers, Criminologists, etc

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Functionalist Perspective

• The major functionalist explanation, strain
  theory was developed by sociologist Robert K.
  Merton.
• Strain Theory views deviance as the natural
  outgrowth of the values, norms, and structure of
  society.
• Individuals may be prevented from finding a job
  b/c of social conditions or b/c of lack of
  education. They are expected, however, to meet
  the goal of finding a job-society judges them
  according to how well they do so

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Mertons Structural Strain Theory

• Four Deviant Responses Mode of Adaptation
• Innovation
• Ritualism
• Retreatism
• Rebellion

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Anomie

• Under the strain of incompatible goals and means,
  these individuals fall victim to anomie.
• Anomie the situation that arises when the norms
  of society are unclear and no longer applicable.

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Conflict Perspective

• Competition and social inequality lead to
  deviance.
• There are those with power (Ruling Class) and
  those without (Lower Classes)
• Ruling Class commits acts of deviance to maintain
  their power.
• Lower Class commits acts of deviance to gain
  economic means or b/c of feelings of
  powerlessness.

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Interactionist Perspective

• Interactionists offer three major explanations of
  deviance
• Control Theory
• Cultural Transmission Theory
• Labeling Theory
• Remember Interactionists are more interested in
  the individual and the thoughts and feelings of
  that individual.

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Control Theory

• Control Theorists are more interested in why the
  person conforms rather than the causes of
  deviance.
• Looks at the social ties that are integrated into
  a community.
• Strong Communities have less acts of deviance.
• Weaker Communities have more acts of deviance.

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Cultural Transmission Theory

• This theory explains that deviance is a learned
  behavior through socialization.
• The interaction of deviant individuals and others
  is more likely to cause deviant behavior.
• The norms being taught are deviant.

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Labeling Theory

• Instead of focusing on why people perform deviant
  acts, labeling theory focuses on how individuals
  come to be identified as deviant.
• Deviance is labeled in two ways
• Primary Deviance
• Nonconformity goes undetected in society. Not
  Deviant.
• Secondary Deviance
• Results in the individual being labeled as
  Deviantand accepting the label as true.

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Degradation Ceremony

• The process of labeling an individual as deviant.
• Public Setting The individual is denounced,
  found guilty, and given the new identity of
  deviant.
• People begin to judge practically all of his or
  her actions in light of the deviant label.
• Deviant becomes the persons master status.

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Explaining Deviance
Perspective Theory Questions
Functionalist Strain How do individuals respond to culturally approved goals and the legitimate means of achieving them?
Conflict Conflict What is the result of competition and social inequality? (Deviance) Who decides what is deviant. (Ruling Classes)
Interactionist Control Why do people conform to norms? (The strength of social ties determines conformity.)
Interactionist Cultural Transmission How do people learn conformity or deviance? (Through socialization, or interaction with others) Where does this learning mainly occur? (Primary Groups)
Interactionist Labeling How do people become identified as deviant? (Through secondary deviance, or being labeled as deviant)
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• The End.