Theories of DevianceTheories of Deviance

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Differentiation & DevianceDifferentiation & Deviance

differentiationdifferentiation refers to the myriad variations among refers to the myriad variations among people based on selected social characteristicspeople based on selected social characteristics

e.g., age, sex, race, educational attainment, occupational e.g., age, sex, race, educational attainment, occupational status, etc.status, etc.

Early sociologists like Durkheim saw social Early sociologists like Durkheim saw social differentiation as a master process of modernizationdifferentiation as a master process of modernization

modernization:modernization: the transformation from traditional to complex, the transformation from traditional to complex, modern societymodern society

Conditions that promote differentiation also promote Conditions that promote differentiation also promote deviancedeviance

They also likely boost the degree and range of They also likely boost the degree and range of social stratificationsocial stratification by increasing the # of criteria for comparing peopleby increasing the # of criteria for comparing people

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Theoretical perspectives on Theoretical perspectives on deviance – two basic typesdeviance – two basic types

Structural theoriesStructural theories emphasize the relationship of deviance to certain structural emphasize the relationship of deviance to certain structural

conditions within a society conditions within a society focus on focus on epidemiologyepidemiology, or the distribution of deviance in time , or the distribution of deviance in time

and place and place are typically are typically macro-levelmacro-level and are considered general theories and are considered general theories

e.g., functionalism and conflict theorye.g., functionalism and conflict theory Process/Interaction theoriesProcess/Interaction theories

describe the processes by which individuals come to commit describe the processes by which individuals come to commit deviant actsdeviant acts

focus on focus on etiologyetiology, or the origins and development of deviance, or the origins and development of deviance are typically are typically micro-levelmicro-level theories theories

e.g., labeling theory, control theory, and learning or socialization e.g., labeling theory, control theory, and learning or socialization theories theories

Moral Entrepreneurs: The Moral Entrepreneurs: The Creation & Enforcement of Creation & Enforcement of

Deviant CategoriesDeviant Categories

Ch. 3, Howard S. BeckerCh. 3, Howard S. Becker

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Moral entrepreneursMoral entrepreneurs

moral entrepreneursmoral entrepreneurs are people who seek are people who seek to influence a group to adopt or maintain a to influence a group to adopt or maintain a normnorm

they may create “moral panics” around they may create “moral panics” around perceived urgent problems, e.g., perceived urgent problems, e.g., drinking alcohol or sexual psychopathydrinking alcohol or sexual psychopathy

moral entrepreneurs can be divided into:moral entrepreneurs can be divided into: rule creatorsrule creators rule enforcersrule enforcers

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Eighteenth AmendmentEighteenth Amendment

The The 1818thth Amendment Amendment of the US Constitution (ratified in of the US Constitution (ratified in 1919), along with the Volstead Act, established 1919), along with the Volstead Act, established Prohibition (of "intoxicating liquors,“ except those used Prohibition (of "intoxicating liquors,“ except those used for religious purposes) in the US. for religious purposes) in the US.

Demand for liquor continued, with the following results:Demand for liquor continued, with the following results: criminalizationcriminalization of producers, suppliers, transporters and of producers, suppliers, transporters and

consumersconsumers police, courts and prisons were overwhelmed with new casespolice, courts and prisons were overwhelmed with new cases organized crime increased in powerorganized crime increased in power corruption extended among law enforcement officialscorruption extended among law enforcement officials

The amendment was repealed in 1933 by ratification of The amendment was repealed in 1933 by ratification of the 21the 21stst Amendment, the only instance in US history of Amendment, the only instance in US history of repeal of a constitutional amendmentrepeal of a constitutional amendment

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Rule creatorsRule creators Rule creators:Rule creators: “moral crusaders,” fervent, righteous, often “moral crusaders,” fervent, righteous, often

self-righteous self-righteous Mission is to promote their sense of morality - thereby Mission is to promote their sense of morality - thereby

defining and combating deviance - for the presumed good of defining and combating deviance - for the presumed good of othersothers

Chief concern is the Chief concern is the endsends - persuasion of others - not the - persuasion of others - not the meansmeans by which persuasion is achieved by which persuasion is achieved

Successful moral crusades are generally dominated by Successful moral crusades are generally dominated by those in the upper social strata of society those in the upper social strata of society

They must build public awareness of a problem, and have They must build public awareness of a problem, and have power, public support, and a clear and acceptable solution power, public support, and a clear and acceptable solution to the problem to the problem tend to have “strange bedfellows,” e.g., tend to have “strange bedfellows,” e.g.,

overlap & cooperation among Temperance, Abolitionist, Women’s overlap & cooperation among Temperance, Abolitionist, Women’s Rights, and anti-Child Labor movements in the late-19Rights, and anti-Child Labor movements in the late-19thth, early 20, early 20thth centuriescenturies

alliance formation among conservative Christian activists and Feminists alliance formation among conservative Christian activists and Feminists in antitrafficking campaigns in antitrafficking campaigns

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Rule enforcersRule enforcers Successful crusades produce new sets of rules & Successful crusades produce new sets of rules &

enforcement agents/agencies, thus enforcement agents/agencies, thus institutionalizinginstitutionalizing the the crusadecrusade

Rule enforcers, e.g., police, are compelled by two drives:Rule enforcers, e.g., police, are compelled by two drives: the need to justify their own rolethe need to justify their own role the need to win respect in interactions the need to win respect in interactions

They are in a bind: if they show too much effectiveness They are in a bind: if they show too much effectiveness one might say they are not needed, and if they show too one might say they are not needed, and if they show too little effectiveness one might say they are failinglittle effectiveness one might say they are failing

Rule enforcers just feel the need to enforce the rule Rule enforcers just feel the need to enforce the rule because that is their job; they are not really concerned because that is their job; they are not really concerned with the with the contentcontent of the rule of the rule

As rules are changed, something that was once As rules are changed, something that was once acceptable may now be punished and vice versaacceptable may now be punished and vice versa Such officials tend to take a pessimistic view of human nature Such officials tend to take a pessimistic view of human nature

due to constant exposure to willful deviancedue to constant exposure to willful deviance

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Enforcement is selectiveEnforcement is selective

a good deal of enforcement activity is a good deal of enforcement activity is devoted not to the actual enforcement of devoted not to the actual enforcement of rules, but to rules, but to coercing respectcoercing respect from the from the people the enforcer deals withpeople the enforcer deals with people may be labeled deviant not due to people may be labeled deviant not due to

breaking a rule but showing disrespectbreaking a rule but showing disrespect

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Enforcement is selective (cont’d)Enforcement is selective (cont’d)

Whether a person who commits a deviant act is Whether a person who commits a deviant act is in fact labeled a deviant depends on things in fact labeled a deviant depends on things besides his actual behavior:besides his actual behavior: whether official feels pressure at the time to justify whether official feels pressure at the time to justify

his/her positionhis/her position whether respect is shown to enforcerwhether respect is shown to enforcer whether the “fix is in”whether the “fix is in”

amateurs tend to be caught, convicted, and labeled deviant amateurs tend to be caught, convicted, and labeled deviant much more than professionals (who know the “fixer”)much more than professionals (who know the “fixer”)

whether the kind of act committed is high on whether the kind of act committed is high on enforcer’s priority listenforcer’s priority list

The Normal and the The Normal and the PathologicalPathological

Ch. 7, Emile DurkheimCh. 7, Emile Durkheim

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Crime is normalCrime is normal

Crime is present in all societies of all typesCrime is present in all societies of all types Its form changesIts form changes

acts thus characterized are not the same acts thus characterized are not the same everywhere but everywhere and always there everywhere but everywhere and always there have been people whose behavior draws have been people whose behavior draws punishmentpunishment

Crime is not only inevitable, it is necessary Crime is not only inevitable, it is necessary - an integral part of all healthy societies- an integral part of all healthy societies

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What is crime? What is crime?

Crime consists of an act that offends Crime consists of an act that offends certain very strong collective sentimentscertain very strong collective sentiments

It is not the intrinsic quality of a given act It is not the intrinsic quality of a given act that makes it a crime, but the definition that makes it a crime, but the definition which the “collective conscience” of which the “collective conscience” of society gives it society gives it

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Crime plays a useful role in social Crime plays a useful role in social evolutionevolution

Where crime exists, collective sentiments are Where crime exists, collective sentiments are sufficiently flexible to take on a new form, and sufficiently flexible to take on a new form, and crime sometimes helps determine the form they crime sometimes helps determine the form they will takewill take Socrates’ crime, independence of thought, provided a Socrates’ crime, independence of thought, provided a

service not only to humanity but to his country, service not only to humanity but to his country, preparing the ground for a new morality & faith in preparing the ground for a new morality & faith in Athens, since traditions were no longer in harmony Athens, since traditions were no longer in harmony with current conditionswith current conditions his violation was a crime, but it was useful as a prelude to his violation was a crime, but it was useful as a prelude to

necessary reformsnecessary reforms

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Beyond good & evilBeyond good & evil

Crime must no longer be conceived as an Crime must no longer be conceived as an evil to be suppressed evil to be suppressed

Instead, we should attempt to discern its Instead, we should attempt to discern its “social function,” the purpose it serves for “social function,” the purpose it serves for societysociety

On the Sociology of On the Sociology of DevianceDeviance

Ch. 8, Kai T. EriksonCh. 8, Kai T. Erikson

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Deviant behavior in “communities”Deviant behavior in “communities”

communitiescommunities: collectivities of people who share a : collectivities of people who share a common sphere of experience, which gives common sphere of experience, which gives members a sense of belonging to a special members a sense of belonging to a special “kind” and living in a special “place”“kind” and living in a special “place”

communities are “boundary-maintaining”: each communities are “boundary-maintaining”: each community has a specific territory in the world, community has a specific territory in the world, occupying a defined region of occupying a defined region of geographical geographical and and cultural cultural spacespace both dimensions of group space – geographical & both dimensions of group space – geographical &

cultural – set the community apart and provide a point cultural – set the community apart and provide a point of reference for membersof reference for members

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Boundary drawingBoundary drawing

Q: How do people know about boundaries Q: How do people know about boundaries and how do they convey it to future and how do they convey it to future generations?generations?

A: By participating in the confrontations A: By participating in the confrontations which occur when persons venture out to which occur when persons venture out to the edges of the group are met by policing the edges of the group are met by policing agents whose job it is to guard the cultural agents whose job it is to guard the cultural integrity of the communityintegrity of the community

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Confrontations between deviant Confrontations between deviant offenders & social control agentsoffenders & social control agents

Confrontations - criminal trials, excommunication Confrontations - criminal trials, excommunication hearings, courts-martial, psychiatric case conferences - hearings, courts-martial, psychiatric case conferences - act as boundary-maintaining devices in that they act as boundary-maintaining devices in that they demonstrate where the line is drawn b/w behavior that is demonstrate where the line is drawn b/w behavior that is acceptable in the community and behavior that is notacceptable in the community and behavior that is not

Each time the community moves to censure some act of Each time the community moves to censure some act of deviation and convenes a formal ceremony to deal with deviation and convenes a formal ceremony to deal with the responsible offender, it sharpens the authority of the the responsible offender, it sharpens the authority of the violated norm and restates group boundariesviolated norm and restates group boundaries Still, community boundaries are never fixed but are subject to Still, community boundaries are never fixed but are subject to

change - as the nature & location of confrontations changechange - as the nature & location of confrontations change

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Deviance, in controlled quantities, Deviance, in controlled quantities, may help preserve social stability may help preserve social stability

Deviant behavior, by marking the outer Deviant behavior, by marking the outer edges of group life, provides a framework edges of group life, provides a framework within which members develop a sense of within which members develop a sense of their own cultural identitytheir own cultural identity

“…“…the agencies built by society for the agencies built by society for preventing deviance are often so poorly preventing deviance are often so poorly equipped for the task that we might well equipped for the task that we might well ask why this is regarded as their ‘real’ ask why this is regarded as their ‘real’ function in the first place” (98)function in the first place” (98)

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Commitment ceremonies: Commitment ceremonies: self-fulfilling prophecies?self-fulfilling prophecies?

The community’s decision to bring deviant The community’s decision to bring deviant sanctions against a member is a “rite of sanctions against a member is a “rite of transition,” moving the person out of an ordinary transition,” moving the person out of an ordinary place in society into a special deviant positionplace in society into a special deviant position

commitment ceremonies:commitment ceremonies: highly public & highly public & dramatic events set up to judge whether or not dramatic events set up to judge whether or not someone is deviant, mark this change of status someone is deviant, mark this change of status the criminal trial is the most obvious examplethe criminal trial is the most obvious example importantly, in our culture, they are almost importantly, in our culture, they are almost

irreversible, and might be called “self-fulfilling irreversible, and might be called “self-fulfilling prophecies”prophecies”

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ConclusionConclusion Two separate yet often competing currents are Two separate yet often competing currents are

found in any society: found in any society: forces which promote a high degree of conformity forces which promote a high degree of conformity

among people of community so they know what to among people of community so they know what to expect from one anotherexpect from one another

forces which encourage a certain degree of diversity forces which encourage a certain degree of diversity so that people can be deployed across the range of so that people can be deployed across the range of group space to survey its potential, measure its group space to survey its potential, measure its capacity, and capacity, and patrol its boundaries forpatrol its boundaries for deviantsdeviants

Deviance is a natural product of group Deviance is a natural product of group differentiationdifferentiation and contributes to the survival of and contributes to the survival of the culture as a wholethe culture as a whole