1. Sociology: Deviant Behavior

2. OVERVIEW SEGMENT 1: Defining Deviance
SEGMENT 2: The Life-Cycle of Deviance
SEGMENT 3: Anomie/Strain Theory

3. Defining Deviance
SEGMENT 1

4. Defining Deviance
Crime – Behaviors that violate a legal code as part of the institution of government.
Deviance – a complex concept that involves individual behaviors that violate codes across a range of institutions.
Many crimes are not considered deviant beyond the institution of government – i.e. Jaywalking
Most forms of deviance in other institutions are not crimes – i.e. insubordination at work, misbehavior at school, disobedience in the family, religious heresy

5. Defining Deviance Crime Religious Heresy Family Disobedience
Work Insubordination
School Misbehavior

6. Defining Deviance
Social Norms - Expectations or codes of conduct in particular situations that help to maintain social order.
Proscriptive norms - Tell people what they should not do.
Prescriptive norms - Tell them what they ought to do.
Norms vary according to:
How widely people accept them, How society enforces them, How it transmits them, How much conformity they require.
Folkways, Mores, Taboos

7. Defining Deviance
Social control includes efforts to force conformity to rules and norms, even when obedience contradicts the interests of the individual
Social is reinforced through sanctioning. Sanctions are given by “agents of social control.”
Sanctions are actions made by agents of social control intended to increase or decrease the probability of subsequent behavior that is considered desirable.

8. Defining Deviance

9. Social Control

10. The Life-Cycle of Deviance
SEGMENT 2

11. The Life-Cycle of Deviance
Life Cycle of Deviance – the notion that norms strengthen and weaken over time depending on historical contexts and level norm promotion
Changing norms seriously complicate attempts to evaluate standards for deviance.
Cigarette smoking – Increasing in deviant character over past 30 years
Marijuana – Decreasing in deviant character over past 50 years
Alcohol consumption – general consumption norms decreasing in deviant character, “problem drinking” norms increasing over past 30 years.
Similarly, punishments for deviant behavior have a life cycle of their own and change historically.

12. The Life-Cycle of Deviance
Why do some acts become more or less deviant over time even if rates of behavior stay the same (constant)?
Because deviance is often a socially created condition which doesn’t correspond to major shifts in social behavior.
It is a process Norm promotion:
An ability to successfully promote particular norms to the exclusion of other, competing norms.
Groups perceive and attempt to alleviate threats by advocating to others of the legitimacy of their priorities.
Known as “Moral Entrepreneurship”
Cocaine Epidemic of 1980’s (insignificant change)
Satanic Cults 1990’s (no such problem)
Terrorism Threats 2000’s (problem existing since 1970’s)

13. Strain Theory
SEGMENT 3

14. Strain Theory
Strain – stress upon individuals within results when there is a disequilibrium between the emphasis on societal goals for success and legitimate means for achieving the goals.
Anomie – the condition within a society where there is a lack of normative guidelines regarding
Stems from complex cultural & social conflicts and contradictions
Common feature of modern societies that are
Large (many people)
Diverse (many groups)
Stratified (unequal)

15. Strain Theory
Cultural assumptions generally expect members to achieve goals through legitimate means:
GOAL OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS
Wealthy
Consumption
LEGITIMATE MEANS FOR SUCCESS
Conventional employment
Completion of education
NORMS ABOUT FINANCIAL SUCCESS
The success is more important than the route to success
The route to success is more important than the success

16. Strain Theory
Leads to When social strain occurs people adapt to strain through different strategies of behavior.
Available Means
Cultural
Goals
Accept
Reject
Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreat
New means
New goals
Rebellion

17. Strain Theory Conformity – Adherence to goals and legitimate means
Ritualism – Abandonment of goals and adherence to legitimate means
Innovation – Adherence to goals and abandonment of legitimate means
Retreatism – Abandonment of goals and legitimate means
Rebellion – Replacement of goals and legitimate means

18. Strain Theory Institution of Education: Cultural Goals
What do adolescents care about in when they are in high school?
Legitimate Means
What are the means that the school system provides to achieve these goals?
Who gets the most opportunities and who gets left out?

19. Strain Theory Rampage Killers Common Characteristics
Adam Lanza, 20yr – (27k, 2in)
Jeffery Weise, 16yr – (9k, 5in)
Charles Williams, 15yr – (2k, 13in)
Eric Harris, 18yr - (13k, 21in)
Dylan Klebold, 17yr – (13k, 21in)
Common Characteristics
White
Male
Above average IQ
Bullied
Felt they deserved better
Felt numb
Completed or attempted suicide

20. RECAP SEGMENT 1: Defining Deviance
SEGMENT 2: The Life-Cycle of Deviance
SEGMENT 3: Anomie/Strain Theory