Social Foundations of Deviance

Deviance

What is it?
Definition: recognized violation of cultural norms/society decides this/can be negative or positive (the over righteous)/ sometimes not a matter of choice (gay/poor/even mental illness)/historically more women (why? more norms)
Social Foundations of Deviance
Varies according to norms- different norms equal different deviance even within a society. Deviant in NYC vs. deviant in rural Nebraska (illicit examples)/ worldwide differences (illicit examples)
People become deviant as others define them that way-everyone breaks norms/we don’t get caught we are not deviant/ we do we are/ product of perception as well/ borrowing a shirt from a roommate (stealing)/ having too many drinks at a party (fun or drunk)
Class is a factor-poor man complains about gov’t on sidewalk=crazy arrested/ rich man does the same thing he is probably running for mayor and has a police escort
Social Functions of Deviance-Durkheim
Unify Group-deciding what is undesirable brings people together/ also decides who is in or out of society/us against them mentality (how can this be bad?)
Clarify Norms-By defining what is unacceptable we also define what is acceptable/ we can also clarify morality right and wrong
Diffuse Tension- Minor deviance not such a bad thing loosens up society
ID Problems- deviance is a major cause for social change/ when all of society or majority deviates then a change should be made/(illicit examples) Vietnam Civil Rights/Prohibition
Provide Jobs-criminal Justice
Theories on Deviance
Cultural Transmission Theory- (Interactionist Perspective) Deviance is a learned trait just like conformity through socialization/ however socialization with other deviants/ this is called differential association=proportion of contact with deviant people norms values etc. vs. Non deviant interaction.
Structural Strain- (Functional Perspective Robert Merton) Based o the belief that conformity is a struggle/ theorizes that some people do not have the means (financial0 to attain the various goals of society so they react to this struggle with deviance/ post chart goals & means
Conformity- first option for most and desirable by society A A
Innovation- Want to achieve the goal, but do not have the means so create unacceptable ways to achieve the goal (illicit examples focus on class lines poor guy who wants to be rich, rich guy who wants to be richer A R
Ritualism- someone who has given up on the goals but adheres to norms/ goes through the motions to avoid stigma or risk (illicit examples) R A
Retreatism- people who completely give up on society (illicit) R R
Rebellion-substitute new goals for old ones as well as means (illicit) R R w substitution
Control Theory- (Travis Hirschi functionalist) deviance is a natural result of society as is conformity/ more interested in why people conform when deviance is such an attractive option/Hirschi theorized that it was a matter of the relative strength or weakness of social control/ social control is of course based on the society that produces it strong community ties=strong social control=conformity
Attachment-to others family peers strong=conformity weak=deviance
Commitment- goals and dreams college, job opportunities prospects good=conformity poor=deviance
Involvement= school homework activities steps to achieve goals active=conformity hangin out=deviance
Belief-morality/religion/respect for authority=conformity
Conflict Theory- (conflict perspective) deviance is a result of competition and social inequality/upper class is deviant to maintain power/ lower class is deviant to obtain power or express frustration at being powerless/ based on a couple of assumptions
Norms are a reflection of the ruling class/ in other word laws are made by the rich to protect the rich/ they decide what is acceptable and not and what is deviant and they do so to protect their power
The upper class ahs the resources to resist deviant labels/financial reasons mainly/ lawyers to get off/ private security publicists to keep bad news out of the public
Labeling Theory- (interactionist) focus is on how people come to b labeled as deviant/ deviance comes from (illicit response) from others based on detection definition and response/ primary deviance non conformity that goes undetected/ secondary deviance is deviance that is a result of a person being labeled deviant/ self fulfilling prophecy/ everyone does this stuff but once you are caught you have a stigma or a mark of social disgrace that sets you apart from the rest of society/ research has shown that this leads to more deviance