Chapter 7 · Deviant behavior is expensive •Encourages unity. Strain Theory •ANOMIE: Social condition in which norms are weak, conflicting, or absent •STRAIN THEORY: Developed

Chapter 7

SECTION 1

Bellringer 3/10

Deviants are people that violate social norms/behavior. List 5 people that you could consider “deviant”

Deviance and Social Control

Deviance - Behavior that departs from societal or

group norms

◦ Varies from group to group and society to society

◦ Also varies by degree

◦ Matter of social definition

Deviance and Social Control

◦ Deviance - Behavior that departs from societal or group norms

◦ Deviant - Someone who breaks significant societal or group norms

◦ Negative deviance

◦ Behavior that underconforms to accepted norms

◦ Example - not graduating from high school

◦ Positive deviance

◦ Overconforms to social expectations

◦ Example - Anorexia

Positive Deviance

Deviance and Social Control ◦ Social Control – ways to encourage conformity to norms.

◦ There are 2 broad types of social control:

◦ Internal – from within the individual

◦ Internalization occurs when a person conforms

because the norm has become a part of their

personality

◦ When you do something right instead of wrong

because you know its wrong

◦ External – from society or the group

◦ Based on Social Sanctions – rewards and punishment that

encourage conformity

◦ Informal - Ridicule

◦ Formal - Imprisonment

Chapter 7

SECTION 2: FUNCTIONALISM AND DEVIANCE

Two Theories Associated with

Functionalism Perspective

Strain Theory

Control Theory

Deviance can have positive and negative consequences on society

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DEVIANCE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF DEVIANCE

◦ Chaos •Clarifies norms

◦ More deviance •Safety valve

◦ Deviant behavior is expensive

•Encourages unity

Strain Theory •ANOMIE: Social condition in which norms are weak, conflicting, or absent

•STRAIN THEORY: Developed by Robert Merton

(1968)

•Deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to achieve these goals by legitimate means

How do people

respond to strain?

• Innovation

• Ritualism

• Retreatism

• Rebellion

• Conformity

Innovation Illegal means to achieve goals

Most widespread and obvious type of deviant response

Ritualism Rejects goal (success) but continues to use the legitimate

means

Retreatism •Legitimate means and approved goals are rejected

• Don’t seek success

Rebellion •Reject success and means for achieving and substitute their own

goals

Conformity Works hard to succeed

Travis Hirschi’s Control Theory

•Theory that compliance with social norms requires strong bonds between individuals and society

•In his theory…social bonds CONTROL behavior of people. Therefore, they are less willing to engage in deviant acts.

•Basic Elements of Control Theory:

•Attachment

•Commitment

•Involvement

•Belief

Control Theory (continued) •Basic Elements of Control Theory:

•Attachment

• Stronger attachments you havemore likely to

conform

•Commitment

• Greater commitment to social goalsmore likely to conform

•Involvement

• Higher participation in social eventsprobability of conformity increases

•Belief

• If you believe in norms/values of societymore likely to conform

Chapter 7

SECTION 3: SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM AND

DEVIANCE

Two Theories Associated with Symbolic

Interactionism Perspective

Differential Association Theory

Labeling Theory

Symbolic Interactionism and

Deviance

Deviance is learned through socialization

Similar to how you learn what is good/bad through

socialization

Culturally transmitted

Differential Association Theory •Theory that individuals learn deviance in proportion to number of deviant acts they are exposed to

•More exposed one is to people who break the law= more

likely one is to commit criminal acts

•Three characteristics:

• Ratio of deviant to nondeviant individuals

• Whether the deviant behavior is practiced by significant

others

• Age of exposure

Labeling Theory •Theory that society creates deviance by identifying particular members as deviant

•Explains why deviance is relative

•Deviance defined by the individual

Examples of Labeling Theory

Pregnant young women more stigmatized than the young fathers to be

African American/Caucasian crime

“Affluenza”

Mass shooters based on religion

Degrees of Deviance Primary deviance: deviance involving

occasional breaking of norms that is not

part of a person’s lifestyle or self-concept

◦ Isolated acts of deviance

Secondary deviance: deviance in which

an individual’s life and identity are

organized around breaking society’s norms

◦ Deviance as a lifestyle and personal identity

◦ Deviance overshadows all other aspects of someone’s identity