Deviance and Social Control

• Definition: Deviance refers to behaviors, actions, or conditions that violate societal norms or expectations. These norms can be formal (laws) or informal (social etiquette). Examples of deviant behaviors include:

  • Driving over the speed limit, which breaches traffic laws.

  • Serious crimes like murder or theft, which are condemned across all societies. The perception of these acts can differ based on cultural norms.

• Howard S. Becker (1966): Becker famously remarked, "It is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act that make something deviant." This emphasizes that deviance is not inherent in the behavior itself, but rather in the societal response to that behavior.

Relativity of Deviance

• Concept: Deviance is highly relative, varying significantly based on cultural and social contexts. What might be considered deviant behavior in one community could be viewed as acceptable or even commendable in another. This relativity underscores that deviance is shaped by societal norms and values rather than being a fixed concept.

• Crime: Specifically refers to violations of laws, which can be interpreted differently based on societal standards. Examples include:

  • Legal restrictions on women driving in some countries, which reflect specific cultural attitudes toward gender roles.

  • Child marriages, which may be a cultural practice in some societies but are widely condemned in others globally due to the associated ethical concerns.

Stigma

• Definition: Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace linked with a particular circumstance or quality, which can discredit a person’s normal identity. It can manifest in various forms, often affecting individuals based on characteristics they may not have any control over.

• Characteristics of Stigma:

  • It can apply to individuals regardless of their engagement in deviant acts. For instance, people with disabilities or those who have previously been incarcerated may face societal discredit due to their identity, irrespective of their current behavior or character.

Norms and Social Life

• Role of Norms: Norms are vital in guiding behavior and interaction, ensuring that social life remains orderly and predictable. These norms arise from shared values and beliefs within a society, and nonconformity can lead to anarchy as the collective agreement on acceptable behaviors collapses.

Social Control

• Definition: Social control refers to the mechanisms, strategies, and institutions societies employ to ensure conformity to norms. This control can be enforced through both formal and informal means in society:

  • Negative Sanctions: These are expressions of disapproval aimed at undesirable behaviors, including frowns, fines, or social ostracism.

  • Positive Sanctions: These affirm acceptable behaviors through expressions of approval, such as smiles, rewards, or recognition in various forms.

Explanations of Deviance

Sociobiology

• Focus: Sociobiology examines genetic predispositions that may contribute to deviant behavior. For example:

  • Studies have suggested that men with an extra Y chromosome may exhibit higher tendencies toward criminal behavior.

  • Researchers have identified certain physical traits that may be associated with criminality, such as larger body types or specific facial characteristics.

Cesare Lombroso's Criminal Characteristics

• Theories: Lombroso, often referred to as the father of criminology, claimed that criminal behavior could be identified by physical characteristics. He posited that criminals might possess identifiable traits such as:

  • Twisted noses

  • Excessive cheekbones

  • A certain overall physique that he argued marked them as biologically predisposed to deviant behaviors.

Psychological Explanations

• Focus: This perspective looks at internal psychological conditions or personality disorders that may drive individuals to deviate from established norms or laws. It suggests that mental health issues, past trauma, or unresolved psychological conflict can contribute to criminal behavior. However, it does not imply a direct correlation between childhood difficulties and extreme criminality, recognizing the complexity of human behavior.

Sociological Explanations

• Focus: Deviant behavior is often analyzed through external societal factors, including:

  • Neighborhood Effects: The influence of one's environment and community on behavior.

  • Peer Group Dynamics: How interactions with friends and social networks shape decisions and behaviors.

  • Social Class and Family Backgrounds: The role socioeconomic status plays in access to opportunities and legal means of achieving success, which can affect levels of deviance.

Theoretical Perspectives

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

• Differential Association Theory: This theory posits that deviance is learned through social interactions. The influence of deviant groups increases the likelihood of individuals adopting similar behaviors. Factors influencing this learning include:

  • Family Influence: The role families play in shaping values and behaviors towards conformity or deviance.

  • Friends and Neighborhoods: Peer pressure and the social environment are critical in determining individual behavior.

Control Theory

• Walter Reckless: Control theory suggests two systems prevent deviance:

  • Inner Controls: Personal moral standards, religious beliefs, and conscience guide individual behavior.

  • Outer Controls: The influence of family, social norms, and law enforcement reinforces conformity.

• Travis Hirschi's Bonds: Strong social bonds to society create a resistance to deviant behavior based on:

  • Attachment: Emotional bonds to others.

  • Commitment: The investment in conventional activities and goals.

  • Involvement: Engagement in socially acceptable activities that foster conformity.

  • Beliefs: Adhering to societal norms and values.

Labeling Theory

• Concept: This theory focuses on the societal implications of public labeling and the reputations that can influence an individual’s future behavior. Labeling can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where individuals internalize labels assigned to them.

• Techniques of Neutralization: These are rationalizations individuals use to deny responsibility for their actions. Techniques include:

  • Denying Responsibility: Claiming the act was beyond their control.

  • Denying Injury: Arguing that no harm was done.

  • Denying the Victim: Suggesting that the victim deserved what happened to them.

  • Condemning the Condemners: Criticizing those who judge their behavior.

  • Appealing to Higher Loyalties: Justifying actions based on loyalty to a group or cause.

Functionalist Perspective

• Deviance as Functional: From a functionalist viewpoint, deviance plays a crucial role in contributing positively to social order. Functions of deviance include:

  • Clarifying Moral Boundaries: Define what behaviors are acceptable or not.

  • Encouraging Unity: Uniting members of society against deviance reinforces social cohesion.

  • Promoting Social Change: Deviance can lead to necessary social change by challenging outdated norms.

• Strain Theory (Robert Merton): Merton's strain theory explains how societal pressures to achieve cultural goals, such as wealth and success, can lead to deviance. When legitimate means are blocked, individuals may adapt through:

  • Innovation: Finding alternative methods to achieve success, often through crime.

  • Ritualism: Rigidly adhering to rules while giving up on achieving societal goals.

  • Retreatism: Rejecting both societal goals and means, resulting in withdrawal from society.

  • Rebellion: Actively challenging societal norms and advocating for change through alternative goals.

Illegitimate Opportunity Structures

• Concept: This concept examines how different social classes have varied access to legal opportunities compared to illegal means of achieving success. Examples exemplifying this disparity include:

  • Street Crime: Activities such as robbery, drug dealing, and gang violence.

  • White-Collar Crime: Corporate fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, or other illegal acts committed in professional settings to further financial gain.

Conflict Perspective

• View on Crime: The conflict perspective posits that the legal system primarily serves to uphold the interests and privileges of the ruling class, exerting control over lower social classes. This view critiques the notion of impartial justice, suggesting that laws are created and enforced in ways that maintain existing power dynamics and socioeconomic inequalities.

Medicalization of Deviance

• Concept: This theory suggests that behaviors once viewed as deviant are increasingly seen as medical issues requiring treatment. This shift toward medicalization can obscure the underlying social contexts contributing to these behaviors, leading to a focus on individual pathology rather than addressing systemic societal issues.

Conclusion

• Understanding deviance requires a comprehensive perspective, acknowledging the complex interplay between individual traits, social influences, cultural contexts, and broader societal constructs that shape behaviors deemed deviant.