Everything you need to know:1. Causal Factors2. Case Studies: Studying specific deviant acts

101 Deviance

Reviewing Deviance

• Any behavior that – Causes a negative social reaction – Is legally, morally, or ethnically prohibited– Warrants stigmatization: labeling someone, hard

to remove the label

Essential Characteristics of Deviant Acts

1. Existence of an informal or formal norm that prohibits a particular behavior

2. Someone engages in a behavior that is contrary to the formal or informal norm

3. Presence of an audience [one other person or group] that observes the behavior that has violated the norm

4. Audience engages in an activity that demonstrates disapproval by imposing some sort of a penalty against the person who engaged in the deviant act

Case Study 1. Read the article on “The Saints and the

Roughnecks”2. Complete the questions – Venn Diagram– Applying theories

Saints• Consisted of 8 White, Upper Middle Class teenage males from

good, stable families• Viewed as promising students, A/B students, college attendees• Caught because involved in truancy, underage drinking, wild

driving, vandalism, theft, public drunkenness, fighting • When approached by the police, were polite, respectful, spoke

well, well-dressed, drove expensive cards • Police officer said: “good ol’ boys sowing their wild oats”• Because viewed as up-right young men

– They were deemed not engaged in deviance– Never busted– 7 went on to college; two post-bachelor degrees

roughnecks• Consisted of 6 White, lower middle Class teenage males• C students• Caught because involved in truancy, underage drinking, wild driving,

vandalism, theft, public drunkenness, fighting • When approach by the police, they were not well-mannered,

demonstrated a lack of respect, showed resentment, not properly dressed, openly hostile

• Because viewed as punks and young criminals – They were deemed engaged in deviance– Always busted

• 1 serving life sentence for murder• 1 serving 30 years for man-slaughter• 1 makes living as a gambler• 1 dropped out of sight • 2 became college graduated

Because they were viewed and treated as deviants, thought of

themselves as deviants and acted in

accordance to that stigma/label

Deviance: Two Categories

#1 Societal Deviance “refers to acts that are condemned by all

or most members of society. They are widely recognized as being deviant, with a high degree of agreement that the behavior is deviant”

Intrinsically wrong: wrong because they’re wrong

Examples: rape, murder, child molestation…

#2 Situational Deviance “What’s considered appropriate in one social

environment might be inappropriate in another social setting”

Case Study: Cigarettes

Early 20th Century Smoking considered an act that represented masculinity, good act, and good habit for men

1920s Smoking for both men and women was acceptable behavior

1940s-1950s Smoking seen as a rite of passage into adulthood; a symbolic gesture; linked to gender roles and sexuality because each gender smoked certain brands

1960s Smoking a typical, ordinary experience

1970s Discovery of health risks associated with smoking: what was once pro-social, now became deviant

2012 Smoke-free buildings; smoke rooms in airports; separation of smoking from restaurants

Typologies

• There are different typologies on what the vast majority of society deems as deviant– A typology is a dichotomy: it consists of two

concepts that are opposites of each one

– On the LEFT: concept of a pro-social norm approved by society/acceptable

– On the RIGHT: concept of a anti-social norm disapproved by society/deviant

LEFT RIGHT Loyalty Apostasy

• All individuals must commit themselves to the well-being of the larger group and be invested in sustaining the good of all

• Subordinate individual needs for the greater good

• Individuals committed to maintaining order

• Ex: patriotism, respect for infrastructure

• Any behavior that represents disloyalty, disrespect, weak commitment

• Ex: lack of patriotism, revolutions that want to overthrow the government, treason, draft dodging, defiling the flag, surrendering citizenship, selling government information, selling weapons to the enemy

LEFT RIGHT Privacy Intrusion

• Each person has exclusive control over his body and property

• Acts the violate the individual’s exclusive control over body/property

• Ex: rape, assault, voyeurism, vandalism, burglary, forgery, identity theft, homicide, spying, unauthorized viewing of ones records

LEFT RIGHT Prudence Indiscretion

• Individuals have the tight to engage in pleasurable activities to a limit

• Must be selective in attaining pleasure

• Ex: engage in a sexual relations as long as consenting adults and emotionally attached

• Activities based on selfishness and need for self-gratification, no emotional attachment, and can harm others

• Ex: sexual promiscuity, adultery, incest, prostitution

LEFT RIGHT Moderation Hedonism/Asceticism• Absence of excesses or

extremes, too much of anything is considered wrong and too little of something is wrong

• Ex: work but not too much, nurture a child but don’t spoil them, gamble but don’t be a compulsive gambler

• Hedonism: pursuit of pleasure as a way of life like addiction: too much of something disrupts efficient functioning of the person

• Asceticism: behaviors that are overly lacking; denial, strict self-discipline w/o self pleasures; being cheap

LEFT RIGHT Conventionality Bizarreness • Individuals practice

personal habits and lead lives that are similar to everyone else

• When people engage in acts contrary to convention, unusual and atypical that the sanity and normalness of person is in question

• Ex of bizarreness but not deviant: sky diving, religious celibacy

• Ex: voluntary homelessness, psychotics who have hallucinations

LEFT RIGHT Responsibility Irresponsible • People depend on them,

maintain contractual responsibilities

• Those in professions must meet demands of clients and that self-interests doesn’t take precedence over needs of others

• Ex: doctors don’t perform unnecessary surgeries, police officers must not endanger community

• Ex: deserting family, refusal to meet financial obligation, negligence in maintaining one’s property, not fulfilling professional standards, violations of trust, renegade on debts, evade contracts

LEFT RIGHT Participation Alienation• Everyone takes an

active party in society and the economy

• Ex: being employed, getting an education,

• Those who don’t participate and take active roles; considered to be hermits, beggars

• Ex: Persistent procrastinators, commit suicide, unemployed, supported by welfare, involuntary alienation [society blames you for no fault of your own like people with disabilities]

LEFT RIGHT Honesty Deceitfulness• Conduct ourselves in a

forthright manner, avoid misrepresentation through lying or forms of dishonesty

• Can only be dishonest when trying to be courteous– Ex: “Do I look fat in this

dress?” “No you look really thin!”

• Acts of selfish dishonesty

• Ex: price fixing, false advertising, welfare fraud,

LEFT RIGHT Peacefulness Disruption• Promote social

harmony, tranquility, cooperation where people get along

• Higher quality of life when people are in agreement

• Ex: support technological progress

• Any type of behavior that functions in opposition to social peace, harmony, and cooperation

• Ex: violent protests, disorderly conducts, fighting, brawling

LEFT RIGHT Courtesy Uncouthness • Large number of rules

that govern inter-personal relations

• Ensure that individual’s behaviors do not offend other people

• Violation of norms of proper behavior

• Ex: pocking nose, vomiting in public, sneezing without covering mouth, failing to keep body clean, making sexist/racist comments that promote intolerance

Root Causes of deviance: motivational factors that cause individuals to engage in deviant acts

#1 Hyper-conformityObsessive need to fulfill standards promoted by society

Ex: Eating disorders like:•Anorexia: practice of self-imposed starvation of eating practices that result in malnutrition•Bulimia: behaviors where sufferer engages in binge eating accompanied by purging •compelled by the need to look a certain way

– Started during puberty – A fifth of those who suffer from these

disorders die– Majority are female; especially rich white

females– Extreme perfectionists in all areas of activity– Personal histories in which they never

engaged in misbehavior and perfect all around

– At puberty start to think life is spinning out of control so these disorders are their way of controlling it

– “being thin” is the greatest ambition – “perfect body” in the media

Case Study: eating disorders

Question: Why type of typology are eating disorders?

Answer: Asceticism: strong self-denial that impairs their well being

#2 Social Rejection Fear of being socially rejected and excluded form social participation; perceives that they are subjected to social rejection and humiliation

Ex: Cho Seung Hui•Shot and killed 32 at V-Tech on April 16, 2007•Killed 2 in the dorm; 2 hours later he walked into a classroom building and open fire: killed 30 and injured 25•Described as being a loner, didn’t communicate with anyone in the dorm, one word responses

–British Lit class: asked to introduce themselves and he refused and on the attendance sheet he put a “?” instead of his name –Creative Writing: wrote essays surrounding mass murder

•Had come from S. Korea at age of 8 with parents and sister: middle class and in dry-cleaning business

–Smart but bullied because of his thick accent so started to isolate himself; made fun of because he was shy; beat up in his church youth groups –Hated rich people; long-term depression and in 2005 he was involuntarily hospitalized for attempted suicide –Reports of stalking 2 females; people thought he had a fake girlfriend

•In the 2 hours, he send a video to NBC news stating he had been persecuted his whole life and he had a resentment against “rich brats who live off of trust funds” and “you have never felt an ounce of pain in your whole life”•Suicide note in his room: “you caused me to do this” “deceitful charlatans” “debauchery”

Case Study: Cho Seung Hui

Question: Why type of typology is Cho Seung Hui?

• Answer: • Alienation: no participation• Intrusion: homicide/suicide• Bizarreness: “?”

#3 Holding Unconventional BeliefsIndividual maintains a belief system that is not compatible with the viewpoints condoned in mainstream society

• Detonated 16 bombs in 8 states between may 1978 and April 1995..3 killed, 23 inured

• Bomb was to represent anti-technology philosophy which he saw as destroying American society

• He had graduated from UofM with a PhD in math, professor at Berkeley… genius IQ

• Lived in Montana where he built a 1-room cabin with no running water or electricity; grew crops and hunted

• Wanted to overthrow technological infrastructure of the U.S. and wanted only to get the message out

Case Study: Ted Kaczynski, Una Bomber

Question: Why type of typology is the UNA bomber?

• Answer: • Apostasy• Disruption• Intrusion• Alienation• Bizareness

#4 Addiction • Compulsive preoccupation with an activity• need to engage in activity involves an

irresistible force• Individual unable to exercise choice• Unable to choose to refrain from engaging in

activity

• Addiction to work as long and as often as possible to the extent that any respite from work compels them to feel guilt because anything else is a waste of time

• No socializing/fun because work all the time• Sense of self doubt, fear of failure, prone to physical

and mental problems like migraines, insomnia, exhaustion, depression, anxiety,, chain-smokers, abuse prescription pills, death by overwork, become inefficient worker, impaired relationships with family

Case Study: Workaholism

Question: Why type of typology is workaholism?

• Answer: • Moderation

#5 Inappropriate Socialization • Process in which individuals are taught via

inappropriate methods from which individuals learn behaviors not conducive to proper social functioning

• A fourth of families are headed by a parent that is alcoholic or addicted to illegal drugs or both

• Principle function of family is give appropriate socialization and convey knowledge

• A toxic family is devoid of affection, meaningful communication, role modeling or harmony so skewed socialization experiences and children end up taking on behavioral roles: – Lost child: want to be alone all the time because see selves as failures …use

alcohol/drugs to cope – Hero: attempts to bring honor to family through personal accomplishments…

because overachiever, use alcohol/drugs to cope – Scapegoat: immersed in trouble making to get attention…become career

criminals – Mascot: immature kid who lacks age-appropriate child skills, highly social,

extroverted, class clown, run away from all challenges…end up on alcohol and drugs too

Case Study: toxic families

Question: Why type of typology is toxic families?

• Answer: • Hedonism• Alienation• Disruption

#6 Frustration • Anger, anxiety, and depression that one feels

as a result of being unable to achieve personal goals

• Tends to be higher when one is unable to achieve pro-social goals

• Self-imposed injury is caused by frustration• Do it because it provides emotional comfort,

alleviates frustration, and instantaneously removes its

• Typically a private activity..despite their best efforts, cannot fit in and they engage in self-injury because the conventional methods of coping with frustration are not good enough

Case Study: Self-mutilation

Question: Why type of typology is self-mutilation?

• Answer: • Privacy • Bizarreness • Alienation

#7 Thrill Seeking • Actions motivates by the need to alleviate

boredom• Behaviors that allow them to transcend the

tranquil, mediocrity of everyday life • Involves risk-taking

• Teenagers in affluent societies that engage in questionable acts like smashing cars, breaking in at randomly chosen homes, committing theft at shopping centers– Not about revenge, but about the thrill associated

with taking the risk and avoiding being caught and outwitting the police

– Not about material gain but the thrill of doing it, not getting caught, and not being bored

Case Study: Suburban Outlaw

Question: Why type of typology are suburban outlaws?

• Answer: • Intrusion • Indiscretion • Irresponsible • Deceitfulness • Disruption

#8 Culture of competition and profit • “The American Dream” is a commitment

people make to attain material success • Everyone pursues it so its about competition • Pursuit of money is the sovereign American

values, regardless of morality and how you get it

• This company makes and distributes baby food in 1977-1983 and it made apple juice that was advertised as 100% juice with no sugar supplements– Made $60 million in profits from marketing it

• Mothers realized their kids were not growing, moving around, lethargic and sickly…doctors found apple juice to be the common factors and kids suffering from malnutrition

• Chemists analyzed the drink: no fruit juice, it was a chemical cocktail made to look like apple juice– Fined $2 million by the FDA ; stopped selling in the US but

started to ship it out and make money in exports

Case Study: Beechnut Nutrition Co.

Question: Why type of typology is the Beechnut Nutrition Co.?

• Answer: • Apostasy • Irresponsible • Deceitfulness

#9 Mental Illness • Mental conditions are detrimental to personal

well-being of an individual• It impeded the individual from properly

functioning in society • Ex: bipolar disorder that’s a combination of

mania and major depression with alternating episodes of these two conditions