sociology of deviance midterm

absolutists

group that believes deviance is a failure to conform, and they see rule violators as disruptive and morally bankrupt

“deviance is either right or wrong”

abuse

legal definition varies from state to state, but has serious consequences regardless

a pattern of harmful behavior that violates social norms and can include physical, emotional, or sexual mistreatment, often directed towards a vulnerable individual, and considered a form of deviant behavior due to its significant negative impact on the victim and societal expectations of proper treatment

addict

someone whose behavior, often involving substance use, violates social norms and societal expectations, leading to a label of deviance and potentially stigmatization

most addicts knowingly approach their initiations into drug use, usually in their teens, by their friends, acquaintances, or marital partner

addiction

• a chronic, but treatable, brain disorder but treatable brain disorder in which people lose the ability to control their need for alcohol or other drugs

• chronic relapsing brain disease

• people who are addicted cannot control their need for alcohol or other drugs, even in the face of negative health, social, or legal consequences.

process of becoming an addict

1. experimentation or initiation

2. escalation

3. maintaining or “taking care of business”

4. dysfunction or “going through changes”

5. recovering or “getting out of the life”

6. ex-addict

lindesmith theory of addiction

emphasizes the attractiveness of the drug to users

drug addiction results when people use drugs to avoid the pain and discomfort of withdrawal

stephens theory of addiction

street addicts do not use drugs to avoid withdrawal, but to experience the drug high

concentrates more on the negative physical consequences of stopping opiate use, that is, withdrawal symptoms

addict subculture

• someone with a career in addiction participates in a drug subculture largely made up of urban, slum-dwelling, male members of minority groups who adhere to a deviant, drug-related set of norms.

• their lives revolve around the “hustle”, “copping”, and “getting off” (agar, 1973).

• the addict subculture organizes its norms around the supply and support of heroin use.

• addicts rely on their subculture to connect with dealers, to maintain hustles to secure money for drugs, and to protect themselves from outside interferences (i.e., the police).

alcohol

• chemical substance created through processes of fermentation or distillation

• most popular mood-altering drug consumed in the U.S. today

• “deviant“ alcohol consumption depends on society

• does not lead to a physiological habit like other drugs do

drunknenness

large quantities of alcohol disturb the activities in the organs controlled by the brain and cause symptoms termed ___.

gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatitis, liver disease, nutritional deficiency, cardiovascular defects, myopathy, birth defects, etc

chronic alcohol consumption can cause…

fetal alcohol syndrome

results in stunted growth, central nervous system abnormalities, and characteristic facial features: short eye openings and a thin upper lip with an elongated philtrum (lip to nose indent)

relax tensions and worries, and it may ease the fatigue associated with anxiety

moderate consumption of alcohol can…

controlled drinker

• someone who drinks for reasons of sociability, hospitality, conventionality, and social norms

• social drinkers may or may not like the taste of alcohol and the effects that it produces.

• primary characteristic is the ability to take alcohol or abstain at will.

• often refrain and use alcohol only in certain social circumstances.

heavy drinker

• frequently uses alcohol, perhaps occasionally consuming sufficient quantities to become intoxicated.

• someone whose frequent and repeated drinking exceeds community standards for social use to the point that it interferes with health, social, or economic functioning.

alcoholism

meaning differs among scholars

some suggest alcoholism denotes a disease characterized by physiological dependence and uncontrolled drinking

problem drinker

• those who experience some problem as a result of their drinking, regardless of how much they consume or the circumstances surrounding that consumption.

• distinguished by the consequences of alcohol rather than the characteristics of the drinker or the quantity and frequency of consumption.

chronic alcoholic

• results after consuming large quantities of alcohol over long periods.

• characteristics of compulsion, solitary drinking, morning drinking, general physical deterioration.

• cannot escape problems caused by alcohol consumption by terminating drinking.

35

generally, after the age of __ drinkers begin to decrease their consumption patterns

true

t/f

those with more formal education drink more than those less-educated

drinking is a private activity

which of the following NOT is not characteristics of a bar or tavern?

a. facilitate group drinking

b. drinking is a commercial activity

c. serve alcohol rather than other drinks

d. drinking is a private activity

2/3

nearly __ of the U.S. population drinks alcohol, actual consumption patterns show a very uneven distribution throughout the drinking population

drunk driving

• alcohol plays a major role in the number of traffic crashes resulting in death.

• more than 120 million Americans are licensed drivers, and close to 100 million of them drink.

• current law in all states defies drunk driving as operating a car while one’s blood alcohol level (BAL) exceeds 0.08 percent.

public drinking houses

• bars & taverns are __ where proprietors sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.

• men are more likely to frequent

alcoholism and intoxication treatment act of 1971

community-based treatment facilities spread in communities because of the ___

primary goal was to shift the focus from punishing people for public drunkenness and providing treatment instead

alcoholics anonymous

• most widely known treatment program and arguably the most successful

• works to “de-label” the alcoholic and move the person back into society as a contributing, independent individual.

• members describe themselves as recovering alcoholics and discredit claims that “once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.”

• an alcoholic may never return to drinking again without becoming a problem drinker

tolerance

• a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect

• markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance

stigma

powerful social process of devaluing people or groups based on a real or perceived difference—such as gender, age, sexual orientation, physical appearance, mental health, behavior, or ethnicity

an attribute that changes you from a whole and usual person to a tainted and discounted one.

the three strategies goffman proposed were: minstrelization, normification, and militant prejudice

minstrelization

when you have little power and exaggerate the differences between the stigmatized and dominant group

normification

when you have a small amount of power (or more) and try to minimize the differences between the stigmatized and dominant group

militant prejudice/chauvinism

when your group’s level of power is the highest and you maximize differences with the dominant group

differential association theory

theory of deviance that suggests deviance is a matter of rewards and punishments. deviance occurs when an individual receives more prestige and less punishment by violating norms rather than by following them

individuals can become deviant by associating with people or joining groups that are already deviant and therefore are in the position to reward deviant behavior

strain theory of deviance

those with fewer resources are less able to achieve societally shared goals and may resort to deviant behavior to achieve their desired goals

critics of this theory point out that not everyone shares the same goals, even in the most homogeneous society

anomie

the breakdown of the norms guiding behavior leads to social disorganization. rapid change/chaos = havoc

people who are not successful with mainstream norms; they do not feel obligated to abide by norms

amphetamine

commonly found in many types of stimulants, pep, and diet pills

stimulant that speeds up messages between brain and body

methamphetamine

(sometimes called crank) is a derivative of legitimate amphetamines that produces a cocaine-like high. users often receive long-term energy.

barbiturates

class of drugs that act as depressants in the nervous system, sometimes supplement amphetamines in programs to achieve weight loss

sedative hypnotic drug that exert a calming effect on the central nervous system

drugs

a loosely defined term that covers a range of substances from aspirin to alcohol and cocaine to cough syrup

fall into different categories based on their effects on the body (ex: depressants and stimulants)

harrison act of 1914

act that prohibited selling and using opiates, cocaine, and marijuana without a doctor’s prescription

marijuana tax act of 1937

act that was designed to stamp out use of the substance by subjecting smokers to criminal-law proceedings

33

medical use of marijuana is permitted in ___ states

cocaine

a stimulant drug that is commonly inhaled or snorted through the nose.  cocaine can also be freebased when combined with volatile chemicals

barbiturates

meth

hallucinogens

what are some types of illegal drugs?

cocaine

stimulant drug that is commonly inhaled or snorted through the nose. can also be freebased when combined with volatile chemicals

crack

derivative of cocaine produced by mixing it with water and baking soda/ammonia

cocaine highway

the spread of cocaine use in the late 1960s and early 1970s was the result of two events:

• U.S. Congress passed legislation reducing the legal limits on the production of amphetamines and controls on depressants.

• World Bank allocated funds to build a new highway in the high jungles of Peru.

attachment theory

how strongly we are tied to other individuals

a person may be less likely to partake in deviance if they have more attachments bc they care more about other people’s opinions and-well being

broken windows theory

came out of an effort to understand why crime rates were higher in urban than non-urban areas, and one of the answers was the problem of social disorder

focused on the realization that any kind of social disorder leads to more social disorder

conformist

we accept the same goals and believe we are provided with the same opportunities to achieve these goals

an individual who aligns their behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes with the norms and standards of their social group or society, often to fit in, gain acceptance, or avoid social disapproval

conformity

adhering to the established and approved means of achieving success. follows the rules

a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group

relative approach

view of deviance that says deviance is a behavior that violates the interests of people with power, and the rule violators are exploited victims

under-conformity

a behavior that doesn’t measure up to commonly accepted rules or standards of behavior, it is behavior grounded in a rejection or lack of awareness of the rules

ex: steroids in sports

over-conformity

a behavior that goes so far in following commonly accepted rules or standards that it interferes with the well-being of self or others; it is behavior grounded in an uncritical acceptance of the rules

ex: miss family to train

ritualism

strict adherence to culturally – prescribed rules, even though individuals give up on the goals they hoped to achieve.

• rejects the goal of success, but uses legitimate means

• burnt out office worker/teachers – workers legitimately.

• going through the motions of daily life even though you do not accept the goals or values that align with those practices.

social reaction theory

theory that believes society influences a person to become a criminal

social learning theory

theory that says people learn criminal behavior from the people around them

social conflict theory

theory that says class warfare is responsible for crime

social control theory

according to the ___, deviance occurs when a person’s (or group’s) attachment to social bonds is broken

attachment

commitment

involvement

belief

the control theory asserts there are 4 elements of our bond with society that prevent most people from violating the law and acting in other deviant ways. what are they?

retreatism

path of a person who has not accepted conventional goals or means

giving up on both the goals and the means

d

which of the following statements about social control theory is true?

a. society often fails to provide legitimate means to accomplish cultural goals

b. people become criminals when they are more strongly socialized to break the law

c. the economic organization of capitalist societies produces deviance

d. most of the time people internalize social norms because of their attachments to
  others

crime

a violation of official, written criminal law

formal deviance

can be described as a crime, which violates laws in a society

ex: robbery, murder, rape

informal deviance

minor violations that break unwritten rules of social life. Norms that have great moral significance are mores

ex: standing too close, burping in public, not wearing deodorant

false

t/f

not all crimes are deviance, but all deviance is a crime

deviant career

as a result of deviant labels, people become forced to limit their contact to non-normal, which in turn becomes normal to the deviant

labeling theory

also known as the social reaction theory

once a person is labeled deviant, they continue to respond to society as if they are

a person may become deviant because of a label, even if he/she did not engage in deviant behavior. i.e. A parent telling their child that they are always bad

role playing

act of orienting one’s own behavior to a set of expectations defined by a role

role set

complement or collection of role relations that a person acquired by occupying a certain social status

role prescriptions

required behavior

habits, beliefs, attitudes, motives, and actual conduct

role proscriptions

a role not permitted to an individual because of other roles the person occupies

ex: a bachelor is a proscribed role to a husband (bc that would be cheating)

role strain

situations with complex role demands and where a single person must fulfill multiple roles

may result from the following factors:

• unclear role prescriptions

• too many roles to fill

• conflicting or mutually contradictory roles

master role

when a deviant role becomes too powerful, it becomes the __

can become so important that individuals begin to organize other roles around it and it becomes a central part of one’s identity

rebellion

rejecting the socially approved way of success and the means of attaining that success but replaces those with alternative definitions of success and alternative strategies for attaining new goals

deviance is functional to society because it produces solidarity.

a criminal act can ultimately enhance group solidarity and clarify social norms, contributing to the stability of society

emile durkheim argued that…

deviance creates social cohesion.

functionalist theorists argue that…

norms

standards or rules regulating behavior in a social setting; shared expectations

the basic rules of our society, drawn from our values and beliefs about how the world should be

deviance

any behavior that violates cultural norms

deviant behavior

behavior that violates the social norms and values shared by most people in a particular culture or social setting

no act is inherently deviant in and of itself. deviance is defined socially and will vary from one group to another

emile durkheim made a strong and controversial claim in the rules of sociological method. what was it?

cultural norms

__ are relative, therefore deviant behavior is deviant as well

poverty

__ is also a reason in the family for conflict because it can lead to both family breakups and delinquency

family

the __ is the link to socialization in one’s environment

divorce, internal conflict, neglect, abuse, and deviant parents are the main claims for the children’s actions

neglect

the deprivation that children suffer at the hands of parents

cycle of family violence

tendency to pass down deviant behavior through generations is a ___

delinquency

when a child acts out their hostility towards the parent or abuser in a deviant manner.

requires knowledge

the role and actions of victims

a full understanding of a deviant act __ of the process of committing deviant acts and ___

symbolic interaction theories of deviance

• responses of others is most significant in deviance.

• person may become deviant because of a label, even if he/she did not engage in deviant behavior. i.e. A parent telling their child that they are always bad.

• They take the view that people become criminals when labeled as such, when they accept the label as a personal identity they will act accordingly.

primary deviance

episodes of deviant behavior that many people participate in. 

• is the initial stage in defining deviant behavior. This is very common throughout society, as everyone takes part in basic form violation. This does not have long-term consequences and does not result in the person committing the act being labeled as a deviant.

• ex: dishonesty

secondary deviance

when someone makes something out of that deviant behavior and is given a negative social label that changes a person's self-concept and social identity. It alters a person's self-regard and social roles. The person gets caught and gets labeled as a deviant by society.

ex: addict

socialization

individuals do not automatically learn social behavior. it is an acquired process developed through __

hirschi

__ developed the social control theory to explain the occurrence of deviance

• conformity

• innovation

• ritualism

• retreatism

• rebellion

merton listed 5 ways of adapting to strain. what were they?

merton’s structural strain theory

theory that traces the origins of deviance to the tensions caused by the gap between cultural goals and the means people must achieve these goals

most people strive to achieve culturally recognized goals.

merton’s anomie theory disoriented is that…

functionalism

deviance creates social cohesion

deviance results from structural strains in society

occurs when attachment to social bonds is diminished

informal social norms

norms that have not been codified into law

ex: holding door for someone, giving someone gift on bday

laws are tools of the powerful that reproduce inequality

are structures that allow those in power to maintain that power, and that deviance, or crime, is a challenge to those structures

what is a conflict theorist view on laws?

moral entrepreneurs

according to becker, “___“ define deviance

• media has been most effective tool for moral crusaders

• often attempt to blame social problems on other groups

• news is full of deviance

• one of the main focuses of mass media is deviance

• media can be biased and influence its audience to act toward their interpretations.

negative formal sanction

a punishment or penalty imposed by an official authority (like a government or organization) for violating a formal rule or law, aiming to enforce conformity and maintain social order

ex: fines, imprisonment, expulsion