Deviance

What is it? Behavior that departs from societal or group norms Ranges from criminal behavior to wearing heavy make-up Deviance is a matter of social definition and can vary from group to group and society to society

2 types Negative deviance – Involves behavior that fails to meet accepted norms Positive deviance – Involves over conformity to norms leading to imbalance and extremes of perfectionism anorexia

Who is a deviant? Someone who has violated one or more of society’s most highly valued norms

Social Control All societies have ways to promote order, stability, and predictability in social life Def: ways to promote conformity to norms If it were absent, there would be chaos 2 types: – Internal – external

Internal Social Control Lies within the individual Developed during the socialization process When you know its wrong to steal, you have internalized this social norm

External Social Control Socialization does not ensure that all people will conform to social norms External social control is based on social sanctions – Rewards and punishments Negative sanctions – Intended to stop socially unacceptable behavior – Criticism, fines and imprisonment Positive sanctions – Encourage conformity – Allowances, promotions and smiles of approval

Functionalism and Deviance Functionalists believe that some deviance can contribute to the smooth operation of society Deviance has both positive and negative consequences for society

Negative Effects Erodes trust A society with widespread suspicion and distrust cannot function smoothly If not punished or corrected, deviance can also cause nonconforming behavior in others Stimulates more deviance in others Expensive both in human resources and monetary resources

Positive Effects Clarifies norms by exercising social control to defend its values Temporary safety valve Increases unity within a society or group Strengthens their commitment to that value Promotes needed social change

Strain Theory Deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to achieve these goals by legitimate means Anomie social condition in which norms are weak, conflicting or absent Conformity- when people accept the goal and the means to achieve it

4 responses to Strain considered deviant Innovation – Accepts the goal of success but uses illegal means to achieve it Ritualism – Rejects the goal (success) but continues to use the legitimate means Retreatism – Deviant response in which both the legitimate means and approved goals are rejected Rebellion – People reject both success and the approved means for achieving it

Control Theory Conformity to social norms depends on the presence of strong bonds between individuals and society If the bonds are weak (anomie) deviance occurs Social bonds control the behavior of people

4 basic elements of social bonds Attachment – The stronger your attachment to groups or individuals, the more likely you are to conform Commitment – The greater your commitment to social goals, the more likely you are to conform Involvement – Participation in approved social activities increase the probability of conformity Belief – Belief in the norms and values promotes conformity

Symbolic Interactionism Deviance is transmitted through socialization in the same way that non-deviant behavior is learned

Differential Association Theory Emphasizes the role of primary groups in transmitting deviance i.e., the more people one is exposed to who break the law, the more apt they are to be criminals

3 characteristics 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 **Deviant behavior is always a matter of social definition Exists when some members of a group or society label others as deviants ** girls receive more stigma to teen pregnancy than boys ** lower-class youths are “expected” to be criminals while middle class youths are not

Degrees of Deviance? 2 types – Primary deviance Person engages only in isolated acts of deviance – Secondary deviance Deviance as a lifestyle and a personal identity **Person’s who life and identity are organized around deviance This status overshadows all other status’

Consequences of Labeling Can cause pain and suffering Stigma- undesirable characteristic or label used by others

Conflict Theory and Deviance Deviance in an industrial society is behavior that those in control see as threatening to their interests

**Basic ways the culture defends itself Look on page 218