Chapter 7: Deviance

Deviance
Deviance is behavior that departs from society's

norms.
Deviance can vary depending on the group of
society's ideas of what is acceptable and
unacceptable.

EX: murder is deviant in our country, but music with

explicit lyrics is only deviant to some people. Stealing
is deviant to you and I, but to gangs it may be
acceptable and even expected.

One person may believe George Bush is deviant

where another person may believe he is a great

humanitarian.

Negative and Positive deviance

Negative deviance involves behavior that

fails to meet accepted norms where

positive deviance is when someone will
over-conform to norms.

For example, someone who is obese would be

considered a negative deviant where a person
with anorexia would be considered a positive
deviant.

Deviant
According to sociologists a deviant is

someone who violates a major social

norm of a society or group.

Control
Social control involves a society finding ways

to promote conformity to norms.

- One type of social control is called internal
social control. This is shaped by socialization
and involves someone not doing a deviant act
because they know its wrong. Or someone
does something responsible because they
know its the right thing to do.
External social control is based on social
sanctions.

Sanctions
Social sanctions are rewards or

punishments that encourage conformity.

Positive Sanctions include promotions at
work, raises, smile of approval, etc.
Negative sanctions include criticism,
fines, imprisonment, etc.

Deviance can be good

Deviance can be both positive and negative

for a society.

Martin Luther King's deviance has proved to

be an example when deviance can lead to
good things

Anomie
According to Emile Durkheim when a society

has missing, weak, or unclear norms anomie

has occurred.
Individuals are uncertain how to act

Strain Theory
Robert Merton came up with the strain theory

which says that deviance is more likely to

occur when a gap exists between cultural
goals and the ability to achieve those goals
by legitimate means like hard work and
education.
There are four types of deviation involved
with the strain theory.

Strain Theory-Innovation
Innovation- When a person accepts the goals

of success but uses illegal means to achieve

it. Ex. drug dealing, robbery, etc.

Strain Theory-Ritualism
Ritualism- When the person rejects the goal

but continues to use the legitimate means.

This person will go through daily routines
without any concern for the quality of their
work.

Strain Theory-Retreatism
Retreatism- This is when both the legitimate

means and illegitimate means are rejected.

This person is not successful by either means
and they don't seek success.

ex. homeless person who chooses not to

work

Strain Theory-Rebellion
Rebellion- This is when people reject both

success and the approved means for doing

so. At the same time they substitute a new
set of goals and means.
ex. KKK

Control Theory
According to the control theory created by

Travis Hirschi conformity to social norms

depends on the bond between the individual
and society.
We conform because we don't want to

disappoint family members, friends, etc.

Differential Association theory

The differential association theory says the

more we are exposed to people who break

the law, the more apt we are to breaking the
law ourselves.

Labeling Theory
The labeling theory says that two people who

break the same norm may be labeled

differently.
For example, a male having multiple sex
partners compared to a female having
multiple sex partners.

Primary and Secondary Deviance

When a person breaks a law, but their

lifestyle isn't full of these acts this is

considered primary deviance.
Secondary deviance, on the other hand, is

when someone's lifestyle is full of deviance

and law breaking.

Stigma
Some deviants are given a stigma which may

affect the quality of their lives.

A stigma is an undesirable characteristic, or
label given to someone.

Minorities in prison
Minorities make up a bigger percentage of

the population in prison than they do in

mainstream society.
Why?
Victim discounting is also a problem

White collar crimes

White-collar crimes are crimes that are

usually job-related crimes and committed by

high-status individuals.

Ex. embezzlement, tax evasion, etc.

Crime and Punishment

Deterrence is the threat of punishment to discourage

criminal behavior.
Retribution is when criminals repay their debts to
society.
- The idea of incarceration is keeping criminals in
prison.
- Rehabilitation is an attempt to control crime by resocializing criminals.
Unfortunately 30-60 percent of criminals released
from prison return to prison within 3 to 5 years.
The return to criminal behavior is called recidivism.