Chapter 7Chapter 7

DevianceDeviance

What is Deviance?What is Deviance?

The recognized violation of cultural The recognized violation of cultural normsnorms Biased towards the positiveBiased towards the positive Biased towards the negativeBiased towards the negative ““Different” or “unexpected” are words Different” or “unexpected” are words

often used to describe deviance from a often used to describe deviance from a sociological perspectivesociological perspective

Distinct areasDistinct areas Crime (laws)Crime (laws)

Violation of a society’s formally enacted Violation of a society’s formally enacted criminal lawcriminal law

Social ControlSocial Control The attempts a society makes at regulating thought and The attempts a society makes at regulating thought and

behavior behavior

Criminal justice systemCriminal justice system A formal response by police, courts and prison officials to A formal response by police, courts and prison officials to

alleged violations of the lawalleged violations of the law

Biological contextBiological context Nature Nature Biological factors may have a real but modest effect on Biological factors may have a real but modest effect on

whether a person becomes a criminalwhether a person becomes a criminal

Personality factorsPersonality factors Nurture Nurture Deviance is viewed as unsuccessful “socialization”Deviance is viewed as unsuccessful “socialization”

Social Foundations of Social Foundations of DevianceDeviance

Deviance varies according to cultural Deviance varies according to cultural normsnorms No thought or action is inherently deviantNo thought or action is inherently deviant

People People becomebecome deviant because others deviant because others define them as suchdefine them as such How other perceive and label usHow other perceive and label us

Deviance involves social powerDeviance involves social power Rule-makers, rule-breakers, and rule-Rule-makers, rule-breakers, and rule-

enforcersenforcers Norms and applying them are linked to Norms and applying them are linked to

social positionsocial position

Functionalism and Deviance:Functionalism and Deviance:Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim

Believed deviance performed certain Believed deviance performed certain functions in society:functions in society: Affirms cultural valuesAffirms cultural values Clarifies moral boundariesClarifies moral boundaries Promotes social unityPromotes social unity Encourages social changeEncourages social change

Functionalism and Deviance:Functionalism and Deviance:Robert MertonRobert Merton

Strain theoryStrain theory The “strain” between our culture’s The “strain” between our culture’s

emphasis on wealth and the limited emphasis on wealth and the limited opportunity to get rich gives rise, opportunity to get rich gives rise, especially among the poor, to theft, the especially among the poor, to theft, the sale of drugs, or other street crime.sale of drugs, or other street crime.

Questions whether or not society Questions whether or not society provides the provides the meansmeans (education, (education, opportunity) to achieve cultural opportunity) to achieve cultural goals goals (financial success)(financial success)

Robert MertonRobert Merton Strain is the gap between what “ought to be” Strain is the gap between what “ought to be”

and “what is”; people generally react in one of and “what is”; people generally react in one of these waysthese ways:: Conformity: Conformity: Pursuing conventional goals Pursuing conventional goals

through normal means (working hard at a through normal means (working hard at a legitimate job)legitimate job)

Innovation: Innovation: Unconventional means to achieve Unconventional means to achieve approved goals (drug dealing)approved goals (drug dealing)

Ritualism: Ritualism: Accept institutional means; Reject Accept institutional means; Reject goals goals

RetreatismRetreatism: Rejects both the goals and means : Rejects both the goals and means (drops out of society)(drops out of society)

Rebellion: Rebellion: Define new goals and means to Define new goals and means to achieve goalsachieve goals

Symbolic-Interaction and Symbolic-Interaction and Labeling TheoryLabeling Theory

Labeling theoryLabeling theory is the idea that is the idea that deviance and conformity result, not so deviance and conformity result, not so much from what people do, but from how much from what people do, but from how others respond to what they do.others respond to what they do.

Primary and secondary deviance Primary and secondary deviance Primary deviance refers to passing episodes Primary deviance refers to passing episodes

of norm violationof norm violation Secondary deviance is when an individual Secondary deviance is when an individual

repeatedly violates a norm and begins to repeatedly violates a norm and begins to take on a deviant identity (they begin to take on a deviant identity (they begin to internalize the label that has been applied to internalize the label that has been applied to them).them).

Labeling TheoryLabeling Theory

A A stigmastigma is a powerfully negative social label that is a powerfully negative social label that radically changes a person’s self-concept and social radically changes a person’s self-concept and social identity, operating as a master status.identity, operating as a master status. Stigmas are often attached in formal rituals called Stigmas are often attached in formal rituals called

status degradation ceremoniesstatus degradation ceremonies (like going to (like going to court).court).

Stigmas are deepened by retrospective labeling, the Stigmas are deepened by retrospective labeling, the interpretation of someone’s past consistent with interpretation of someone’s past consistent with present deviance (like saying “Once a criminal, present deviance (like saying “Once a criminal, always a criminal”). always a criminal”).

Labeling Difference as Labeling Difference as DevianceDeviance

Thomas Szasz argues that “mentally ill” is a label Thomas Szasz argues that “mentally ill” is a label we attach to people who are only different and we attach to people who are only different and concludes that we should abandon the concept of concludes that we should abandon the concept of mental illness entirelymental illness entirely

The The medicalization of deviancemedicalization of deviance is the transformation is the transformation of moral and legal issues into a medical condition.of moral and legal issues into a medical condition.

Whether deviance is defined morally or medically Whether deviance is defined morally or medically has three profound consequenceshas three profound consequences It affects who responds to devianceIt affects who responds to deviance It affects how people respond to devianceIt affects how people respond to deviance It affects whether the deviant is regarded as It affects whether the deviant is regarded as

being personally competentbeing personally competent

Edwin Sutherland:Edwin Sutherland:Differential AssociationDifferential Association

Deviant behavior is learned in Deviant behavior is learned in associations with deviant othersassociations with deviant others

Frequency of association with Frequency of association with deviant others is central to the deviant others is central to the development of deviant behaviordevelopment of deviant behavior If friends are prone to norm violation, If friends are prone to norm violation,

the person is more likely to take part in the person is more likely to take part in these actsthese acts

Conformity reaps rewards while lack Conformity reaps rewards while lack of it reaps punishmentof it reaps punishment

Travis Hirschi:Travis Hirschi:Control TheoryControl Theory

Social control depends on imagining Social control depends on imagining the consequences of one’s behavior the consequences of one’s behavior

Conformity arises from four types of Conformity arises from four types of social controls:social controls: Attachment Attachment CommitmentCommitment InvolvementInvolvement Belief Belief

Conflict Theory and DevianceConflict Theory and Deviance

Deviance and powerDeviance and power Norms or laws reflect interests of rich Norms or laws reflect interests of rich

and powerfuland powerful Powerful have resources to resist Powerful have resources to resist

deviant labelsdeviant labels Belief that norms and laws are natural Belief that norms and laws are natural

and good masks political characterand good masks political character