SOC 1000 - Social control, deviance (test 2)

Social control

Attempts by society to regulate peoples thoughts and behaviors

Examples of agents and institutions

Agents: teachers, parents

Institutions: U of M, hospital

Deviance

Engaging in activity that is

• abnormal

• Elicits a societal reaction

A deviant

Someone who behaves differently

Deviance is like _, is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty

Sociology is less interested in _, is defined as a deviant than in the _, _, and with what _.

Sociology is less interested in what is defined as deviant than in how, why, and with what consequence

Structure of social control

• societal values and norms

• Internalization of values and norms

• Positive and negative sanctions

• Formal and informal control

Positive vs negative sanctions

Positive: Rewards for compliant behavior

Negative: coercive methods to force compliance

Formal vs informal social control

Formal: codified, organized regulated given by officially designated persons; can be negative or positive

Informal: unwritten, casual, unorganized, spontaneous given by everyone to each other ex/being starting line up

What is the goal of formal social control ?

I) prevent deviance

II) deter deviance

III) reform/resocialize deviants

Typology of sanctions

Positive formal: privilege, promotion, payment, public award

Positive informal: thanks, praise, gifts, private admiration

Negative formal: fines, demotion/firing, imprisonment

Negative informal: scolding, ostracism, beatings, murder

Positive functions of deviance

• cutting “red tape” : may facilitate productivity ex/ CEO isn’t there to sign check, someone forges signature

• Acting as a safety valve: may take strain off ex/ manager gives 20 min break instead of 15 min; not supposed to but results in better work

• Clarifying rules: overstepping the ounces may reveal where they actually are

• Uniting the group : opposing the deviants, trying to convert deviants, protecting deviants

• Reinforcing conformity; by critiquing the deviant, group members praise and reward each other for their superior merit

• Acting as a warning signal that something is wrong in the system

Selective application of norms/labels example

Low class → we call gangs → alcoholics/shoplifters → throw in jail

Middle/high class → cliques → alcoholics/shoplifters → need therapy

The medicalization of deviance

The transformation of moral and legal issues into medical matters determines

• how deviance is characterized ex/ kleptomaniac vs thief

• View of deviants competence

• Who responds

The criminal justice system

An institutional response to violations of law

Retributions (penal function)

An act of moral vengeance by which society subjects an offender to suffering comparable to that caused by the offence

Deterrence (deterrence function)

Attempt to discourage criminality through punishment

Rehabilitation (corrections function)

Reforming the offender to prevent subsequent offences

Incapacitation (custodial function)

Rendering offender incapable of further offence temporarily through incarceration, permanently through execution

Restorative justice

Focuses on crime as enacted against the individual or community rather than the state