Lecture Notes on Physical Deviance, Relationships, Cyberspace, and Subcultures

Physical Deviance and Appearance

• Physical deviance is a visible form of deviance that evokes stereotypes, stigma, and discrimination.

• Sociologists categorize physical deviance into:

  • Violations of aesthetic norms (appearance expectations).

  • Physical incapacity (physical disabilities).

Stigma and Physical Deviance

• Physical deviance can mark individuals, leading to assumptions about other characteristics.

• Example: Speaking slowly and loudly to someone hard of hearing, assuming comprehension difficulties.

Ideals of Beauty

• Ideas of acceptable or desirable physical appearance vary by context and in the 1990s.

• Professionally styled hair, makeup, lighting, and photo retouching set unattainable beauty standards.

• These standards can lead to deviant behaviors like eating disorders or unnecessary plastic surgeries.

Self-Injury as Physical Deviance

• Self-injury includes cutting, burning, scratching, and other forms of self-harm.

• Most self-injurers don't seek professional help, remaining hidden in society.

• Reasons for self-injury:

  • Short-term release from anxiety and emotional pain.

  • Sense of control.

  • Reconfirmation of one's body.

  • Conversion of emotional pain to manageable physical pain.

• Self-injury is being "demedicalized" and seen as a voluntary choice/deviance rather than mental illness.

• Study of college women found over 50% engaged in self-injury as a "quick fix" for difficult emotions.

Body Modification

• Body modification, such as extreme tattooing, is another form of physical deviance.

Relationships and Deviance

• Sexually unconventional behavior as deviance: Society is intrigued by intimate relationships and sexual practices.

• Norms about sexual behavior exist, and violations can result in severe punishments.

• Sexual deviance depends on community, culture, and context.

Varying Sexual Norms

• Disagreement exists about acceptable sexual activities, even within the United States.

• Examples:

  • Same-sex marriage: Community values tested and defined on political ballots.

  • Prostitution: Legal in some Nevada counties but a crime in most of the country.

• Societal norms are challenged by new fads, businesses, and subcultures.

The Ashley Madison Agency

• The Ashley Madison Agency marketed itself as a discreet dating service for married individuals seeking affairs.

• Slogan: "Life is short. Have an affair."

• Offered an "Affair Guarantee" package with a refund if a partner wasn't found in three months.

• Hacking Incident: In 2015, the agency was hacked, compromising 37 million users' information.

• Consequences: Extortion letters, a pastor's suicide, and real-life tragedies.

• Recovery: By 2018, the agency claimed 191,000 daily active users and a near equal male-to-female ratio.

Polygamy

• Polygamy is a discredited relationship form; Monogamy is the legal norm in the United States.

• Conflict between subculture values and societal norms.

• Example: 2008 Texas raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

• Warren S. Jeffs: Leader convicted on felony charges related to coercing the marriage of a 14-year-old girl.

• Raid Details: Over 400 children forcibly removed based on accusations of sexual abuse, media coverage showed the culture clash.

Deviance in Cyberspace

• New technology creates new categories of deviant behavior.

• Cyberdeviance Examples:

  • Tampering with elections.

  • Phishing scams and hacking.

  • Cyberterrorism.

The "Incel Rebellion"

• The rise of the "Incel Rebellion" is fueled by "involuntarily celibate" individuals.

• Elliot Rodger and Alek Minassian promoted hatred and resentment.

• Incel culture promotes self-hatred and hatred towards women.

Other Cyberdeviance Examples

• Online pedophile subculture.

• Cyberbullying.

• Online misbehavior of college students.

• Sexting.

• Illegal downloading of music, movies, and readings.

• Norms and laws are constantly evolving to address new possibilities for deviant behavior.

Online Subculture of "Johns"

• Research by Kristi Blevins and Thomas Holt explored the online subculture of heterosexual clients of sex workers.

• Analysis of web forums revealed norms and values while minimizing exposure to law enforcement.

• Three themes related to argot:

  • Experience: Categorizing johns from novices to experienced members.

  • Commodification: Prostitutes and sexual acts viewed as commodities with a cost.

  • Sexuality: Various sexual acts desired or experienced, with unique argot.

Self-Injury in Cyberspace

• Internet enables self-injurers to find safe subcultural spaces and transform self-injury from a psychological phenomenon to a sociological one.

• Cybercommunities vary in approach to self-injury, from recovery-focused to glorifying self-injury.

• Cyber-world represents a new form of space that is both public and private.

• Virtual communities challenge traditional notions of identity and community.

Subcultural Deviance

• The virtual subculture of johns is an example of a subculture considered deviant.

• Some subcultures are easily identifiable and can be singled out for holding different norms and values than the larger society.

• Examples of Subcultures:

  • Terrorist subcultures (Hamm, 2004).

  • "Fat admirers" (Goode, 2008b).

  • Radical environmentalist organizations (Scarce, 2008).

  • UFO contactees and abductees (Bader, 2008).

The Amish Subculture

• The Amish subculture illustrates the complexities of deviance.

• Amish youth are encouraged to explore the "English" way of life during Rumspringa.

• Youth stay in this decision-making period for two to three years, with 20-25% defecting.

• Youth experience social isolation, depression, and anxiety during this time.

Elite Deviance, Corporate Deviance, and Workplace Misconduct

• Elite deviance does not receive as much attention as street crimes but has an enormous impact.

• Corporate elite maintain their status through ruthless practices.

• Elite deviance is defined as criminal and deviant acts by large corporations and powerful political organizations.

• Three types of harm:

  • Physical harms (death or injury).

  • Financial harms (robbery, fraud, scams).

  • Moral harms (distrust and alienation).

Explaining Deviance in the Streets versus Deviance in the Suites

• Social class and status influence whether an act is considered deviant.

Addiction

• Celebrities voluntarily checking into rehab is losing its stigma.

• Poor and working-class addicts face a different reality, often forced into "strong-arm rehab" through drug courts.

• Treatment received by these addicts differs from celebrity treatment.

Prostitution

• Media images range from streetwalkers to exclusive call girls.

• Prostitution is a criminal act, but demand is high, and prostitutes and clients meet through various means.

• Seeking Arrangement.com connects "Sugar Babies" with "Sugar Daddies and Mommas."

• College women using these websites resist the label of prostitute and maintain secret identities.

Graffiti

• Defacing public property is sometimes considered vandalism and sometimes art.

• Graffiti writers may view their practice as a rebel lifestyle.

• Illegal graffiti can be a subcultural activity offering risk and thrills, with writers leading double lives.