Module 24 “What Is Deviance?”

Deviance Defined

• Deviance: Behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society, not synonymous with perversion or depravity.

• Examples of deviant behavior include:

  • Being late for class

  • Wearing jeans to a formal wedding

  • Alcoholism, compulsive gambling, mental illness in the U.S. is also categorized as deviant.

Cultural Context of Deviance

• Deviance is context-dependent; what is deviant in one culture may be celebrated in another.

• Unrealistic standards of beauty create societal pressure, especially on women, leading to behaviors that may be considered deviant to conform to these norms (e.g., cosmetic procedures).

The Nature of Deviance

• Involves the violation of group norms, which may not be codified into law.

• Deviance encompasses various behaviors, including criminal acts and significant social actions that might not be prosecuted.

• Negative Deviance: Actions considered harmful or detrimental to society.

• Positive Deviance: Actions that challenge the status quo, which may promote change, such as speaking out against injustice.

Social Stigma and Deviance

• Stigma: A label that devalues a person's identity based on physical or behavioral characteristics (Goffman, 1963).

• Stigma can lead to negative social roles and impact self-esteem, particularly toward individuals with mental illness or those who do not conform to societal beauty standards.

Public Perception and Mental Illness

• Public events or crimes (e.g., Sandy Hook shooting) often unjustly associate mental illness with violence, leading to stigma against those with psychiatric disorders.

• Actual statistics show that only a small fraction of violent crimes are committed by those with mental illness.

Deviance Over Time

• Definitions of acceptable behavior change over time:

  • Smoking cigarettes transitioned from socially accepted to recognized as deviant due to health concerns.

  • Tattoos in the military have seen an evolution from taboo to normalized under certain conditions.

Sociological Perspectives on Deviance

Functionalist Perspective

• Deviance serves a purpose in stabilizing societal norms and expectations.

• Durkheim's Contribution: Emphasizes the role of sanctions in maintaining social order.

• Anomie: A state of normlessness during significant social changes, leading to increased deviance.

Merton's Theory of Deviance

• Adaptation to Social Goals: Merton categorizes responses to societal pressures into five types:

  • Conformity: Accepting societal goals and means.

  • Innovation: Accepting societal goals but using deviant means (e.g., crime).

  • Ritualism: Rejecting societal goals but still adhering to societal means.

  • Retreatism: Rejecting both goals and means (e.g., drug addicts).

  • Rebellion: Rejecting and wanting to change societal goals and means.

Interactionist Perspective

• Focuses on the role of social interactions in developing deviant behavior through Cultural Transmission and Differential Association.

• Deviance is learned through interactions with others who favor criminal behaviors.

Social Disorganization Theory

• Suggests that crime rates are higher in areas with weak communal bonds and breakdown of institutions like family and school.

Labeling Theory

• Explains why some individuals are labeled as deviant while others are not despite similar behaviors.

• Social Reaction Approach: It’s the response to an act that establishes deviance, emphasizing the role of social control agents (e.g., law enforcement).

Conflict Theory

• Argues that laws are shaped by those in power and often reflect their interests, leading to unequal treatment in the justice system.

Feminist Perspective on Deviance

• Examines how traditional crime approaches have historically marginalized women's experiences.

• Advocates for understanding how gender impacts the dynamics of crime and deviance.

Summary of Key Concepts

• Deviance is a complex societal concept that includes both negative and positive dimensions.

• The ways in which society defines, perceives, and reacts to deviance can lead to stigmatization and differentiation in treatment based on factors like race, class, and gender.

Key Terms

• Deviance

• Anomie

• Stigma

• Labeling Theory

• Social Constructionism

• Differential Association

• Social Disorganization Theory

• Conflict Theory

• Functionalism