soc101 deviance & social control

Introduction to Sociology | Hunter College

Jessie Daniels, PhD

Deviance & Social Control

what is ‘deviant’?

definition: violation of established

contextual, cultural, or social

norms, whether folkways, mores, or

codified law

Who gets labeled ‘deviant’?

Is getting tattoos a ‘deviant’ act?

Labeling Theory

• Everyone labels

• Those with power are able to label

someone and make other accept that label

• Labeling can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy

• If the label is especially damaging, it can

become a ‘master status’

Labeling is a Powerful Mechanism of Social

Control

(symbolic interactionism)

key sociological question:

structure vs. agency?

structural approaches: emphasize how

people are influenced by structural

forces

(functionalism + conflict theory)

How much agency do individuals

have?

social action theories: emphasize how

individuals operate in society as

relatively free agents, creating identities

through symbols and interactions

(symbolic interactionism)

What makes someone evil?

Is it their individual agency?

Or social structure?

Erving Goffman (1922-1982)

dramaturgy: we use “impression

management” to present ourselves to

others as we hope to be perceived.

Each situation is a new scene, and

individuals perform different roles

depending on who is present.

The Performed Self

Goffman: no stable inner

core of identity

what does this mean…

…about what makes someone

evil?

If there is no stable inner core of

‘self’

then the ‘self’ is shaped by the role,

then the ‘self’ is shaped by

institutions,

then the ‘self’ is shaped by

structure.

What should you do before

next class?

1. Be sure you’ve read the assigned

readings: Ch.7, Zimbardo, & McKelvey

2. Watch the video, “Stanford Prison

Experiment.”

3. Answer questions on the discussion

board.