...and Deviance 1. Basic Concepts Sociology Central www.sociology.org.uk Crime and Deviance Basic Concepts In this section of the course we will be exploring the nature of conformity to - and deviation from social rules in both our own and other societies. In order to do this, we will initially need to understand a number of basic concepts that we can develop. In more detail at a later point. Before we start to do this, however, it might be useful to briefly map-out the various general areas covered by the syllabus. In this respect, we will be looking at a major aspect of deviant behaviour in our society (crime) and the way such behaviour is associated with various social categories such as: Class Age Gender Ethnicity Locality / Region In simple terms, we need to look at the various explanations of crime and deviance that have been produced by sociologists over the past 100 or so years. The concept of power is a very significant one in relation to the way social rules are created and applied and, for this reason, we need to examine this concept as a means of understanding the nature of social conformity and deviance. A significant aspect of (deviant) behaviour is the reaction of others to that behaviour and, in this respect, we will be particularly concerned with an examination of the role of the mass media in the process of Deviancy Amplification. The concern here will be to outline the role of "official" agencies of social control in our society. Over...
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...Deviance is Socially Defined Social deviance is a term that refers to forms of behavior and qualities of persons that others in society devalue and discredit. So what exactly is deviance? In this essay the focus is how deviance is socially defined, not physiological deviations from the expected norm. Deviance is defined as, "The recognized violation of cultural norms." Deviance is an act of rebellion against set of rules, and expected behavior established by a certain society (Macionis, 2008). Deviance however is defined in many different ways. It is depended on the norms of the society, and region. Individuals become deviant when people label their actions as deviance. It depends on how that society defines deviance on individuals. The institution of rules and breaking rules in society is determined by strong social powers. Such stigma leads to social inequality in our society. Sociologists Theories Sociologists however defines deviance as behavior that violates an essential social norm. Deviants are people who go beyond the limits of socially acceptable behavior. Although the definition of deviance is simple, deviant acts in real life are hard to turn down. No single act, not even taking another person's life is forbidden at all times in any human society. Deviance is relative. What is deviant behavior in one place may be acceptable in another place. Different cultures have different levels of social order and control, therefore making what can be seen as...
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...Behavior Deviance can be defined as a wayward turn from all of the cultural norms of society that are in place. Basically, it is a violation of the normal ways of thinking and acting by our society. Society looks at deviance as generally having a negative impact on society. However, this can be disputed. What is deviant behavior in one part of the country may be of the social norm in another part of the country. Society and culture determine what is and is not deviant behavior. Deviance can be seen in different forms throughout our society. Actually, deviance does not always have to be looked at as a negative. Deviance could have a positive effect on a society. The norms of a society will change on a continual basis. Sometimes it is necessary to violate a norm so new norms can be introduced. Societies need to keep up with modern norms. Without changing norms from time to time, we would live in a boring world. Everybody would continue to do the same things over and over again. Society would be telling us when to go to wake up and go to bed. Furthermore, without deviance, there would not be a need for a decision making process. Everything would be pre-determined. It would make for a pretty boring world. There is a negative side to being deviant. Some people want all of the attention on them no matter what the cost. These types of deviants are usually very disturbed and depressed. They will not follow the normal patterns of any society. A religious...
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...Deviance is shaped by one’s culture and is relative in space and time. When you violate society’s normal set of standards and arouse negative reactions, it is perceived as deviant. Because the perception changes over time, deviant behavior hundreds of years ago is completely different then deviant behavior today. “In the late 1800s, many Americans used cocaine, marijuana, and opium, because they were common components of over-the-counter products for symptoms like depression, insomnia, menstrual cramps, migraines, and toothaches. Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine and, perhaps not surprisingly, became an instant hit when it went on sale in 1894” (Goode, 2008). Today, the use of drugs is deviant and illegal. Deviance is a very subjective field of study and can be considered very controversial. There are nine theoretical perspectives of deviance that is viewed from different historical standpoints. The first is a demonic perspective where the roots are from metaphysical causes. This perspective explains how evil forces influence us toward temptation and possession causing deviant behavior. The classical theory of deviance deals with deviance as a freely calculated choice to increase or decrease pain. Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham were enlightened reformers arguing that social control is based on rational human reasoning. Both views have been seen mostly outdated, being replaced with the concern of the causation of deviance. The third perspective is the pathological...
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...Deviance is any behaviour that violates social norms, there can be many different reasons why people display deviant behaviour. People who engage in deviant behaviour are referred to as deviants. Deviant behaviour is any behaviour that is contrary to the dominant norms of society. In practice however most deviance is ignored or mildly punished is sometimes regarded as amusing or even supported. Mugging a person is classed as deviant, smoking in a public place is now regarded as deviant (smoking ban in public places was introduced in Ireland March 2004). Most of us at one point or time in our lives have been labeled deviant or at least sightly deviant. As I mentioned Deviance is the recognised violation of cultural norms. Norms are rules and expectations which guide the behaviour of a society, therefore norms guide human activities, so the concept of deviance is broad. As we develop from childhood to teenager to adult we gain experience and exposure to many situations either alone or with others. We are taught what we should and should not do, what is good and what is bad what is right and what is wrong within our society, learning habits that conform to the customs, traditions of the group into which we are born. We start to develop a system of values, these values are why we refrain from behaviour that is frowned on or disapproved off. Most of us have at some time or other have misgivings or second thoughts about something we may have done in the past. Maybe, told a lie...
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...Examine and asses the usefulness of a theory of crime and deviance in terms of explaining crime and or social problems in modern society. This essay is going to examine and asses the usefulness of labelling theory in our understanding of crime and social problems in modern society. This essay is going to firstly look at what labelling theory is and also look at the key writes that have influenced and help to develop the term labelling theory. The essay will then go on to look at empirical research that has been carried out such as Jock Young’s study of marijuana users and their experience of labelling which in turn led to further deviance and also different examples that will help illustrate the key points being put forward in the essay. Finally it will look at some of the criticisms labelling theorists face. This essay will draw information from academic books, websites and articles to illustrate and support the points of few being put forward in the essay. Interactionist generally sees society from the point of view of individuals. They believe that individuals are creative free thinking people who are able to choose their own behaviour and the also believe that behaviour is self-directed based on the interactions we have with one another. The labelling views on deviance is generally grounded in what is now known as labelling theory which emerged in the 1960’s from the work of American sociologist Howard Becker. Labelling theorists are mainly concerned with how and why certain...
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...Deviance, Sexuality, and the Family Many people do not notice how many times sexual and family deviance pops up in front of our eyes on the television. Everyday hundreds of shows come on TV that portray the way society reacts to strays in the social norm. Examples of family and social deviance can be found in shows like The Addams Family and Modern Family. LGBT members can be found throughout Modern Family because of the main characters being in a gay relationship. Family deviance is an example of the social control that society places on certain individuals. The Addams Family and Modern Family show how the US society deals with sexual and family deviance through the use of LGBT people and social norms. In the show Modern Family, sexual deviance is presented when Cam and Mitchell kiss for the first time on the show. Mitchell had rejected Cams kiss because he was embarrassed to show any kind of public display of affection. Society has made Mitchell feel like their gay relationship should not be displayed in public because people frown upon members of the LGBT community (Season 2 Episode 2). In another episode of Modern Family sexual deviance is portrayed when Cam pretends to be straight to win a bet with his partner,...
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...explaining crime and deviance’ (21 marks) Labelling theory is a micro approach that looks at how individuals construct society based on their interactions with each other (item). In terms of crime and deviance, labelling theory argues that most people commit deviant and criminal acts but only some are caught and stigmatised for it. So therefore, it is not useful to search for differences between ‘deviants’ and ‘non-deviants’ in society. Labelling theorists believe focus on crime should be understanding the reaction to and definition of deviance rather than the causes of the initial act. One labelling theorist, Becker, suggests the idea of crime as a social construct. He argues that an act only becomes deviant when it is defined as such by others, and that a criminal will only be labelled depending on society’s reaction to the crime. Becker argues that those people that have the power to create and impose their definitions on the rest of society such as the police are called moral entrepreneurs, reinforcing that crime and deviance is a construction of society. In addition to this, Becker argues that there is selective decisions as to whether to or how to deal with illegal or deviant behaviour. He calls this ‘selective law enforcement’ and suggests that police act on their own stereotypes and pre-conceptions on how to respond to the deviance and crime they come across. Labelling theorists are interested in who gets labelled most often and why. This is useful to our understanding of...
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...What Is Deviance? The word deviance connotes odd or unacceptable behavior, but in the sociological sense of the word, deviance is simply any violation of society’s norms. Deviance can range from something minor, such as a traffic violation, to something major, such as murder. Each society defines what is deviant and what is not, and definitions of deviance differ widely between societies. For example, some societies have much more stringent rules regarding gender roles than we have in the United States, and still other societies’ rules governing gender roles are less stringent than ours. Gender and Deviance In the United States, women who cry in public in response to emotional situations are not generally considered deviant—even women who cry frequently and easily. This view of women has remained relatively constant. Over the past fifty years, however, society’s perception of men who cry has changed. A man who cried publicly in the 1950s would have been considered deviant. Today, men who cry in response to extreme emotional situations are acting within society’s norms. Male politicians cry when announcing defeat, male athletes cry after winning a championship, and male actors cry after winning an award. By today’s standards, none of these men is committing a deviant act. Relativism and Deviance Deviance is a relative issue, and standards for deviance change based on a number of factors, including the following: * Location: A person speaking loudly during a church service...
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...AND DEFINITION OF DEVIANCE Sociology defines social deviance as an act of omission or commission of an offense where perpetrators risk facing state prosecution and legal punishment. Therefore, the sociological study of deviance looks at various social laws, their influence on the individual and societal behavior, and potential punishments for lawbreakers. Indeed, Kubrin, Stucky, & Krohn, (2009) note that sociology appreciates the fact that social norms vary in description across societies. This implies that an action that is deviant to one community may be morally acceptable to another. Moreover, sociology recognizes that while societies play a more important role than individuals do in creating and imposing norms and rules. This means that views on deviant acts existing in individuals more likely relate to their society’s responses to the behavior (Kubrin, Stucky, & Krohn, 2009). Norms are rules and expectations by which members of society are conventionally guided. Deviance is a failure to conform to these norms. Social norms differ from culture to culture. For example, a deviant act can be committed in one society that breaks a social norm there, but may be normal for another society. Over the years, sociologists have come up with numerous theories and concepts that help explain the causes, effects, and solutions to deviance. For instance, originally studied at the Chicago School, the social disorganization theory owes its application to deviance as a social issue...
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...the wider society. Also the sociological imagination allows us to understand the connection between history and biography. When he mentioned history, he referred to the environment and the society that introduces us to our characteristics. When he mention biography referred to the experiences within the historic setting, which gives us our position in life. Also, we do what we do because we inherited some internal mechanism. The environment I have lived in throughout my life is Jamaica Queens. Throughout my childhood I did not have everything. I did was unable to have the latest clothes, better yet clothes of my own. I hated it. I was the youngest of four and the clothes and shoes I wore handed down to me. When I was able to get clothes of my own, I had more than enough. Now that I have two daughters I buy two of everything, and things, such as clothes, shoes and toys, get donated when the girls out grow them. Other than the textbook, I searched the sociological imagination on Youtube and watch various videos, some of the videos were slideshow and some were lectures. Sociologists are well aware that all is not as it seems. Here is an interesting article for you to consider. Comment on this article. What does it mean? Also, read the section on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis on page 49 of the textbook for more information on language and perception. How does language influence our perception of reality? According to Sapir-Whorf’s hypothesis, language determines our consciousness...
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...Chapter Eight: Deviance and Social Control Chapter Summary Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to any violation of rules and norms. From a sociological perspective, deviance is relative. Definitions of “what is deviant” vary across societies and from one group to another within the same society. Howard S. Becker described the interpretation of deviance as, “…not the act itself, but the reaction to the act that makes something deviant.” This coincides with the symbolic interactionist view. In some cases, an individual need not do anything to be labeled a deviant. He or she may be falsely accused or discredited because of a birth defect, race, or disease. Even crime is relative when interpreting the deviance of the actor. Deviance is based on adherence to and violation of norms. Human groups need norms to exist. By making behavior predictable, norms make social life possible. Consequently, all human groups develop a system of social control, which involves formal and informal means of enforcing norms. Those who violate these norms face the danger of being labeled “deviant.” Violators can expect to experience negative sanctions for the violation of norms. Members of society who conform to societal norms, especially those who go above and beyond what is commonly expected, receive positive sanctions. In some societies, such as the Amish, shaming is a common negative sanction that acts strongly as a means of social control, minimizing deviance. Biologists,...
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...A and elsewhere, assess the usefulness of sub cultural theories in explaining “sub cultural crime and deviance” in society. Functionalist sociologists adopt a normative definition to explain crime and deviance. They categorise it as something which breaks off from or violates social norms. This means that there is an assumption that society is based on value consensus and thus laws reflect the interests and views of the majority of the population. On the other hand critical criminology such as Marxism would use the relativistic definition to define crime and thus support the notion that the law reflects the interests of the ruling class instead. One sub cultural theory which is useful in explaining sub cultural crime and deviance is Merton’s strain theory. He argued that in society, certain members may experience a strain between the cultural goals of society for example the American dream and the legitimate means to achieve these goals. Deviance results from the structure of society and reaching these goals depends on an individual’s social mobility. In a stratified society goals are inevitably linked to a person’s position in the social structure. As a result, when some members are unable to achieve goals they become disenchanted and may seek out alternative ways. Merton argued that capitalist societies suffer from anomie - a strain/conflict between the goals set by society and the legitimate (law abiding) means of achieving them. However, Merton has been criticised by Laurie...
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...Sharna Luscombe Outline and asses the functionalist explanations of crime and deviance. Functionalist ignore deviance; they look at society as a whole and ignore individualism. Functionalism is a structuralist approach (also known as a consensus theory) they believe that individuals are shaped by society and social facts. A limitation of functionalist is that they ignore certain groups within society, such as women and people with disabilities. They also ignore factors such as ‘race’ and social class. They believe that society will maintain stability if the institutions still exists and the factors that may cause conflict – are ignored. I will assessing the functionalist contribution to explanations of crime, to how useful it is and if those explanations have been applied within modern day society. Also how useful the explanations are at reducing crime. Deviance is a normative approach, it is associated with behaviour that differs from the set norms and values set out by society. Deviance is linked to informal social control through sanctions (not by laws or government policy). In a Post Modern society – this definition of deviance would be problematic because it refers to societal norms (which would have disappeared; due to individualism making it hard to follow set norms and values). Deviance could collapse in a post-modern society. Durkheim (1895) is a positivist who proposed the concept of anomie; as an explanation as to why certain people commit crime. He believes that...
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...norms Norms are rules and expectations by which members of society are guided.[2] . They are not necessarily moral, or even found grounded in morality; in fact, they are just as often pragmatic and, paradoxically, irrational. (A great many of what we call manners, having no logical grounds, would make for good examples here.) Norms are rules of conduct, not neutral or universal, but ever changing; shifting as society shifts; mutable, emergent, loose, reflective of inherent biases and interests, and highly selfish and one-sided. They vary from class to class, and in the generational "gap." They are, in other words, contextual. Deviance can be described as a violation of these norms.[3] Deviance is a failure to conform to culturally reinforced norms. This definition can be interpreted in many different ways. Social norms are different in one culture as opposed to another. For example, a deviant act can be committed in one society or culture that breaks a social norm there, but may be considered normal for another culture and society. Some acts of deviance may be criminal acts, but also, according to the society or culture, deviance can be strictly breaking social norms that are intact. Viewing deviance as a violation of social norms, sociologists have characterized it as "any thought, feeling or action that members of a social group judge to be a violation of their values or rules";[4] "violation of the norms of a society or group";[5] "conduct that violates definitions of appropriate...
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