Deviance and Social Control Practice Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers concepts from Dr. Darks' Sociology lecture on deviance, social control, and various theoretical perspectives including Symbolic Interactionism, Functionalism, and Conflict Theory.

Deviance

The violation of norms.

Relativity of Deviance

The concept that deviance is defined by context, questioning if behaviors like football or boxing are considered deviant depending on the situation.

Biosocial Explanation of Deviance

A perspective that assumes genetic predispositions, where inherited propensities are modified and stimulated by the environment.

Psychological Explanation of Deviance

A perspective that examines personality disorders that might cause deviance.

Sociological Explanation of Deviance

A perspective that looks for social influences that recruit people to break norms.

Differential Association Theory

A symbolic interactionist theory suggesting that deviance is learned through association with families, friends, neighborhoods, and subcultures.

Control Theory

A symbolic interactionist perspective focused on bonds in society and how they prevent deviance.

Functionalist Perspective on Deviance

Viewpoint that deviance clarifies moral boundaries, affirms norms, encourages social unity, and promotes social change.

Strain Theory

A theory within the functionalist perspective explaining how mainstream values can produce deviance.

Illegitimate Opportunity Structures

Functionalist concept describing how social class is related to crime and the different opportunities available for deviant behavior.

White-collar Crime

Crime committed by people of high social status, which can be deadly (like faulty GM ignition switches killing over $124$ people) and yet results in the criminals often going unpunished.

Conflict Perspective on Deviance

A viewpoint that explains how social class is related to the criminal justice system and views the system as an instrument of oppression.

Inmate Population: Black

Comprises $58,612$ inmates or $38.3\%$ of the prison population according to the provided statistics.

Inmate Population: White

Comprises $87,135$ inmates or $57.0\%$ of the prison population according to the provided statistics.

Inmate Population: Hispanic

Comprises $45,225$ inmates or $29.6\%$ of the prison population according to the provided statistics.

Inmate Population: Male

Comprises $142,918$ inmates or $93.5\%$ of the prison population according to the provided statistics.

Medicalization of Deviance

The process of redefining behaviors traditionally seen as deviant, such as addiction or mental illness, as medical issues that require treatment rather than moral or legal punishment.

Recidivism

The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend, listed as a key reaction to deviance to be discussed.