Ch 7 Deviance Social Control Deviance Behavior that

Ch. 7 Deviance & Social Control

Deviance – Behavior that departs from societal & group norms • Ex. – criminals, wearing too much makeup, dancing, Tyson vs. Holyfield • Negative deviance – behavior that fails to meet accepted norms – Typical idea of what deviance is • Positive Deviance – over conformity to norms – Ex. – anorexia

The Sociologists’ deviant – a person that has violated one or more of society’s most highly valued norms

Social Control – a way to encourage conformity to society’s norms • Ex. – traffic laws, business attire • Internal – doing something b/c you know it Is right • External – social sanctions – rewards or punishments that encourage conformity

Costs & Benefits of Deviance – • Negative effects – erodes trust, which can lead to non-conformity • Positive effects – – Clarifies norms – Safety Valve – Promotes social change

Strain Theory – • Anomie – social condition where norms are weak, conflicting, or absent • Strain Theory – deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists b/w cultural goals & the ability to achieve their goals by legitimate means • Responses – Innovation – an individual accepts goals but uses illegal means to achieve them • Thief – Ritualism – rejects the goal but continues using legitimate means • Unmotivated teacher – Retreatism – legitimate means and approval goals rejected • Homeless alcoholic – Rebellion – legitimate means and goals rejected, but are replaced by new goals and means • Militia group member, cult

Control Theory - theory that compliance with social norms requires strong bonds b/w individuals and society • Social bonds – – Attachment – the stronger your attachment to groups or individuals, the more likely you are to conform – Commitment – Involvement – Belief – When social bonds are weak, the chances for deviance increase

Symbolic Interactionism and Deviance • Differential Association Theory – theory that individuals learn deviance in proportion to number of deviant acts they are exposed to • 3 characteristics of differential association – The ratio of deviant to non-deviant individuals – Whether the deviant behavior is practiced by significant others – The age of exposure

Labeling Theory – theory that society creates deviance by identifying particular members as deviant • Sometimes of two people breaking the norm only one may be labeled a deviant – Teenage pregnant mom vs. the father • Primary deviance – a person engages only in isolated acts of deviance – Ex. – college students answering that have broken one or more norms, but have never been arrested • Secondary deviance – deviance in which an individual’s life and identity are organized around breaking society’s norms – Deviance is a lifestyle and a personal identity • Consequences of labeling – Stigma – an undesirable trait or label that is used to characterize an individual – Labeling people as deviants can cause them pain and suffering, as well as determine the direction of their lives • Ex. – thief, cheater