sociology unit 4 notes

deviance

variation from a set of norms or shared social expectations

deviants

the people who violate these shared expectations

what does deviance involve?

a social audience that defines particular people and behaviors as going beyond the tolerance limit of social norms

what is the opposite of deviance?

conformity

who pointed out that deviation should be regarded as a normal part of society?

Durkheim

what helps define the limits of social tolerance?

methods of social control, such as arrests, criminal trials, etc

functional aspects of deviance

• can increase the solidarity and integration of a group

• can sersve as a “safety valve” for social discontent

• can indicate defects or inadequacies in the existing social organization

• can set in motion steps that lead to social change

what are some consequences of deviance that is dysfunctional?

• can disrupt the social order

• can disrupt the will of others to conform

• can destroy trust

• can divert resources into social rehabilitation and control efforts

absolutist view of deviance

the view that certain behaviors are deviant regardless of the social context in which they occur

moralist view of deviance

the view that norm violations are deviant because they are morally wrong

medical view of deviance

The view that deviance is essentially pathological evidence that a society is unhealthy

statistical view of deviance

A perspective on deviance that defines as deviant any variation from a statistical norm

who is referred to as the “father of modern criminology”?

Cesare Lombroso

what did Cesare Lombroso believe?

that the major determinants of crime (or deviance) were biological—that there was a “born criminal type.” Lombroso believed that criminals suffered from atavistic anomalies, genetic traits that would distinguish criminals from noncriminals.

who attempted to link body type to criminal behavior?

William Sheldon

what were the 3 categories Sheldon came up with?

• endomorphs

• mesomorphs

• ectomorphs

endomorphs

are soft, round, and usually fat

mesomorphs

who are muscular, stocky, and athletic

ectomorphs

who are skinny and fragile

_______ were considered likely to be laid back and sociable

Endomorphs

_________ were considered likely to be shy, reserved, and cerebral

Ectomorphs

_______ were disproportionately identified as those most likely to be criminal

Mesomorphs

id

present at birth, is our pleasure-seeking principle, constantly seeking immediate gratification

The superego

refers to the internalized norms of society, what we typically think of as our “conscience” or “the morality principle.”

The ego, sometimes referred to as the “reality principle”

Mediates between the innate drives of the individual (id) and the demands of society (superego), enabling the individual to postpone immediate gratification at times when it may be socially unacceptable.

Because we are all born with an _____, we have the potential to be deviant. If our id dominates the other two components, we are more likely to exhibit deviant behavior. On the other hand, if our superego is the dominating component, we are likely to be _____ in our behavior. The ego acts to balance the other two and maintain social conformity.

id; rigid

Freud also believed we have three layers of psyche: the ______, preconscious, and ________.

conscious, unconscious

The _________ part of the mind is what we are most aware of and contains our wants, needs, and desires

conscious

Our _________ mind is just below the surface of our conscious mind and can be brought to the surface through a memory or experience

preconscious

Our _____ mind is likely to keep painful memories repressed and to hold our biological desires and urges well below the surface

unconscious

what component of our psyche could contribute to irrational thinking?

our unconscious

what did Bandura and Walters (1959) argue about deviance?

that people are not born with the ability to act violently but learn to be aggressive through life experiences

strain theories

• Theories of deviance suggest that the experience of socially induced strain, such as anomie, forces people to engage in deviant activities

• Failure to achieve socially expected goals (social expectations)

anomie

The incongruence between a society’s emphasis on attaining certain goals and the availability of legitimate, institutionalized means of reaching those goals; often gives rise to deviance

gemeinschaft

a close intimate, small community

gesellschaft

a big city, formally regulated

disorganized communities

• unpleasant living conditions

• hard to get good jobs = poverty

• gangs