Ch 7 - Deviance and Social Control

Deviance

refers to any violation of norms, rules, or expectations, whether the interaction is as minor as driving over the speed limit, as serious as murder

who introduced deviance?

Howard S. Becker stated that it is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act, that make something deviant

Deviance non

any act to which people respond negatively
→ sociologists believe that we are all deviants in some sort, as we all violate norms

Norms

lay out basic guidelines for how we should interact with others

Social order

a group’s customary social arrangements

Social control

which is a formal and informal means of enforcing norms

Biological explanations of deviance

assumed that genetic predispositions lead people to such behaviours as juvenile delinquency and crime

Biological assumptions on deviance

-Universally acknowledged is that in all known societies men commit more violent crimes than women do
-Women who were more empathetic engaged in less dangerous behaviour
-Men engage in violent behaviours due to their lack of empathy
-Biosocial theorists stress that genes alone are not cause for deviant behaviour

psychological explanations of deviance

Psychologists believe that deviating individuals have deviating personalities and that subconscious motives drive people to deviance
→ instead of genes, they examine personality disorders

psychological assumptions on deviance

-It has been found that no specific childhood experience has led to deviance
-Deviance is not linked with any particular personality

Sociological explanations of deviance

Sociologists look for factors outside the individual, they look for social influences that recruit people to break norms

sociological assumptions on deviance

-They examine external influences as socialisation, membership in subcultures, and social class
-Every society has boundaries that divide what is considered socially acceptable from what is not acceptable

Differential Association

from the different groups we associate with, we learn to deviate from or conform to society’s norm

The control theory

is one which emphasised the idea that two control systems (inner and outer controls) work against our tendencies to deviate
→ developed by Walter Reckless (sociologist)

Our inner controls

include our internalised morality-conscience, religious principles, ideas of right and wrong
→ also controls fears of punishment, feelings of integrity, and the desire to be a “good” person

who does outer controls consist of

consists of people (family & friends) who influence us not to deviate

Labelling Theory

The view that the labels people are given affect their own and others’ perception of them, thus channelling their behaviour into either deviance or conformity

Functionalists

argue that crime is a natural part of society

Cultural Goals

objectives held out as legitimate or desirable for the members of a society to achieve

Strain Theory

a theory developed by Robert Merton to explain how people react when their access to success is blocked

Strain

refers to the frustrations they feel

How does the strain theory work

Identifying with mainstream norms (working hard, pursuing higher education), when they help you reach a certain status, but when they don't help you achieve success, you feel frustrated