...consequences." In the 1950’s and 1960’s, labeling theory or social reaction theory came to be out of a rejection of consensus theory or structural functionalism. Sociologists were beginning to study the aspects of different kinds of behavior. Labeling theory was just a theory until 1966 when Thomas J Scheff published his book called, Being Mentally Ill. His book stated that there are certain behaviors and actions that society views as deviant and those who engage in these types of behaviors are considered mentally ill or having a mental illness. Another labeling theorist was Frank Tannenbaum. His theory was of labeling was socially stigmatizing and that suggesting, tagging, defining, identifying, segregating, describing, and emphasizing any individual out for special treatment becomes a way of stimulating, and evoking the very traits that are complained of. A person becomes the thing they are described as being. This theory implies that no act is intrinsically criminal, rather, criminality is established through the formation of laws, and the interpretation of those laws by the courts police and correctional institutions. Deviance is therefore not a set of characteristics of individuals or groups, but rather it is a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants and the context in which criminality is being interpreted. Labeling theory or social reaction theory is concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms...
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...HOW DOES SOCIAL POWER AFFE\ ;L’;’’;’PL;L[P[P0O;;;.’;/;.’[‘’;/;L.L,/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,M QQQQWQW4FCW2 C ‘T DEVIANT LABELLING, AND HOW DO G ENDER, RACE AND CLASS FEATURE IN THIS PROCESS JJJJJJJ N JJJ JJ JJJJJJJJJ JJJJ,,,, ‘ ‘’ \\ \ D \eviance as a violation of social 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. ...
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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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...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, psychologists, and...
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...themselves in deviant activities and become deviant. In this particular case study there a many theories that an individual could apply to Kevin and his deviant behavior, but the three theories that I view as the best to explain Kevin’s deviance and behavior that was studied. The three theories that apply best to Kevin’s particular aspects of deviance are Social Bond Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Reaction Formation Theory. Social Bond Theory is a theory that states that if an individual has strong relationships and or bonds , and values, then they will not involve themselves in deviant behavior whether they have deviant friends or not. The theory also says that if the individuals lack these values and or strong relationships, then they fall back on peers in search of those bonds whether they are negative or positive ones. In relationship to Kevin, this theory plays a role in his deviant behaviors because of his relationship with his family and then his involvement in deviant behaviors with his peers. Kevin’s parents were divorced and his mother eventually remarried when he was in the seventh grade. His relationship with his step-father was negative relationships which often lead to arguments and or confrontations between Kevin and his stepfather and Kevin’s mother and step-father, do to his step-fathers alcoholism. Social Learning Theory is a theory that explains individual’s deviant behaviors in terms of an individual behaving in deviant ways and learning deviant behaviors...
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...consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an “offender.” The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied. Deviant behavior is behavior that people so label.” (Becker 1963:8–9). This quote is used timelessly even in today’s modern world, as others try and prove if this is truly fact. If we so label a person, do they become that label? In this paper I will try to show if primary or secondary deviance play’s into the development of the deviant behavior. Edwin Lemert is probably best known for developing what is called the societal reaction approach. This approach distinguishes between primary and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is the individuals who get themselves involved in rule-breaking behavior and do not see themselves as deviant. Primary deviance arises for a wide variety of reasons, biological, psychological, and or sociological. Secondary deviance is the individuals who accept their deviant status. When a negative label gets applied to someone visibly, it powerfully becomes a part of that person's identity and that is what Edwin Lemert called secondary deviance. Secondary or intensified deviance becomes a means of defense, attack, or adaptation to the problems caused by societal reaction to primary deviation. Societal reaction is more important to study since it sheds light on things like community tolerance quotients. Societal reaction theorists...
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...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 would probably be considered deviant, whereas a person...
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...In my Norm Violation assignment I chose to break the common dining etiquette norm of eating with your hands. Since eating with your hands is only deviant behavior in certain dining situations, I chose to break this norm at a local sit-down restaurant in Eugene, Café Soriah. I went to the downtown restaurant with a group of friends for an afternoon meal without telling them of my Norm Violation assignment. Being the only informed one in the experiment seemed like the best way to get the most candid reactions from my peers. When I arrived to the restaurant I immediately noticed several social norms that everyone at the establishment was following. The customers and the staff were well dressed, and everyone was conducting himself or herself in an appropriate indoor manor. Everyone who was dining there was using silverware and had napkins in their laps as well. I also noticed that the group of people I had walked in with had already broken some less serious social norms or folkways. They way we were dressed epitomized college students who were struggling financially and those who did not have dressing nice high on their list of priorities. I could tell that we had instantly acquired stigmas from both the staff and some of the customers, simply by how we were dressed for the setting we were in. However, we were not acting unruly by any means and these stigmatisms seemed to be overlooked once we were seated. We were seated in a very open area of the restaurant and immediately...
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...and physical reactions. Shyness reactions can occur at any or all of the following levels: cognitive, affective, physiological and behavioral, and may be triggered by a wide variety of arousal cues. Among the most typical are: authorities, one-on-one opposite sex interactions, intimacy, strangers, and having to take individuating action in a group. These are just a few that I fall into. To put it in other terms, shyness is a shrinking back from life that weakens the bonds of your human connection with others and us. There are many symptoms that following shyness: sweating, dry mouth, trembling or shaking, fear of negative evaluation and looking foolish to others, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem are just a few that I experience. A problem arises when one person’s behavior fails to match the normative expectations of others and poses a threat to the smooth flow of the interaction order. Being too shy is a clear example of this. It is not that the shy person is deliberately trying to sabotage the situation, but simply that they do not feel as if they are equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to carry off social interaction with another person. 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. Deviance is defined in many different ways. It is depended on the norms of the society, and region. Individuals become deviant when people label...
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...Deviance and Society Unit 8 Paper: Institutions and deviance Monday, June 18th, 2012 How the Institution Handles Deviants Institutions have made systems, regulations, and rules in an effort to make those who we define as a deviant restrict such behaviors. To manage deviance institutions use restraints, medicalizations, rules, pass them along, punishment, ignore them, hide them, fix them, isolate them, sort them, and challenge/undermined them. Medical institutions for the mentally ill can use any and all of the above techniques to manage deviant behaviors. Legal institutions like police stations, jails, prisons, and courts use the techniques that deal less with medicalizing deviants; the techniques generally include: rules, isolation, sorting, punishment, and challenging the deviants. Such examples are covered in the readings and movie for this unit: Case Routinization in Police Work (Waegel 1981), Normal Crimes (Sudnow 1965), On Being Sane in Insane Places (Rosenhan), and The One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In Case Routinization in Police Work and Normal Crimes, the main objective of the two journals was to show case the different ways in which the legal system handles deviance. For Case Routinization in Police Work it explained that the differences in bonds and sentencing is based on the crime itself and how the assailant committed the crime, if it was performed in a routine or non-routine way. A great example that comes from recent media coverage would be “the...
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...his actions were coined as deviant. But because the deviant behavior only took place one time, Benny strictly only participated in primary deviation; he learned from his mistake. Secondary deviation refers to “the ways in which stigma and punishment can actually make the crime or deviance “become central facts of existence for those experiencing them, altering psychic structure, producing specialized organization of social roles and self-regarding attitudes” (Lemert, 1967). This is best exemplified by Lindsey and Tiffany (high school sophomores) who are best friends, both of which were raised to not participate in partying and drinking alcohol. Tiffany begins to befriend “the party crowd” and soon partakes in drinking alcohol along with other illegal actions.Lindsey, who feels as if she is losing her best friend, attends the next party, gets drunk, and disappoints her parents who find out the next...
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...Social Structure & Social Interaction, Groups, Deviance, Poverty and Social Class Both Sides Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. 1/54 Study: Speller Learn Test Play Games: Scatter Space Race All 54 terms PrintExportCopyCombine Order by Terms Definitions Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. Location in Social Structure People's location in the social structure accounts for differences in their behavior & attitudes Ascribed Status involuntary status; a status you inherit o Class of parents, gender, sex, ethnicity, race Achieved Status voluntary status; a status you earn o Student, criminal, doctor, friend Society people who share culture & territory Hunting & Gathering Societies simplest form of society, few social divisions, few people, nomadic, most egalitarian [treat all as equals, no one is rich or poor], society with most leisure time. Role Conflict When what is expected of us in one role is incompatible with what is expected in another role. Role Strain When the same role presents inherent conflict- one role Thomas Theorem If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences- think of people as less than and they will be treated as such. Group members of a group think of themselves as belonging together, they interact with...
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...Using material from item A and elsewhere, assess the view that crime and deviance are the product of labeling processes. Labelling theorists are interested in how and why certain acts come to be defined or labelled as criminal in the first place. They argue that no act is inherently criminal or deviant in itself. In other words, it is not the nature of the act that makes it deviant but the nature of society’s reaction to the act. For a sociologist such as Becker, a deviant is simply someone to whom the label has been successfully applied, and deviant behavior is simply behavior that people label. This leads labelling theorists to look at how and why laws are made. They are particularly interested the role that Becker calls moral entrepreneurs. These are people who lead a moral crusade to change the law in the belief that it will benefit those whom is it applied. Becker then argues that this new law has two effects; it creates a new group of ‘outsiders’ and expands the social control agency to enforce the rule and impose labels on offenders. Platt argues that the idea of ‘juvenile delinquency’ was originally created as a result of a campaign by upper class Victoria moral entrepreneurs, aimed at protecting young people at risk. This established ‘juveniles’ as a separate category of offender with their own courts, and it enabled the state to extent its powers beyond criminal offences involving the young, into so called ‘status offences’ such as truancy and sexual promiscuity...
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...Deviant Behavior Provide an example of a human behavior that is considered deviant in one society, but is not considered deviant in others. Deviant behavior is behavior that is a recognizable violation of social norms. Formal and informal social controls attempt to prevent or minimize deviance. One such control is through the medicalization of deviance. It is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act, that makes something deviant. In Saudi Arabia, women exposing skin other than the forehead, eyes, or hands is reflected as deviant to that culture. However, women in America or other parts of the world excluding the Middle East do not consider it deviant when women reveal skin, other than eyes, forehead or hands. What are the factors that have contributed to this society's perspective of the deviant behavior? Why does this society consider the behavior to be deviant but other societies do not? Factors that have contributed to this cultures perspective are based on their beliefs. According to Islam culture any clothing worn by any women should have following qualities: * Must not be tight so to reveal the body's shape and figure. * Must not be transparent or see-through, even partially. * Must not expose any part of the body. * Must not resemble the opposite sex's clothing. Now the reason it is considered deviant, as noted above is not the culture itself, but the action thereafter for those that do not follow through. For the Islam culture...
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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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