Deviance Theories A Sociological Look…

Read through the following list of behaviors…

1. Continuously talking to oneself in public2. Drag racing on a public street or highway3. Regularly using illegal drugs4. A man wearing women’s clothing5. Attacking another person with a weapon

All of these scenarios involve someone breaking the rules or norms of society. Behavior that violates significant social norms is called deviance.

The Deviance Spectrum… Not ALL norm violations are deviant acts. It is society’s

judgment on which behaviors are considered deviant. For example, everyone knows that killing is wrong, but it is understandable when a police officer does it in the line of duty. The police officer is not a deviant person in this case.

Many people become labeled deviant as they continue to repeat the offense. If a person gets caught speeding while driving once, they are not deviant, but if it continues, they may have their license taken away because they are a danger have on the road. That person has just become deviant.

To be labeled deviant:

You must be caught committing the deviant act.

You must also be stigmatized by society. What is a stigma? ▪ A mark of social disgrace that sets the

deviant apart from the rest of society. (Example: Prison mates wear a special uniform so they can be identified. This serves as a warning sign to others as well as a form of public humiliation.)

Social Functions of Deviance

Unifying the Group Draws a line between those who are within the “normal group”

and those who are breaking social norms.

Clarifying Norms Deviance helps clarify what the social norms are, when they are

broke, it helps others to understand what is “normal” or acceptable behavior.

Punishment of deviant people serves as a warning for others.

Diffusing Tension Minor acts of deviance can be used as “stress relievers” for those

unhappy with a certain situation. For example, participating in a small demonstration could help someone battling over their discontent with the current political system.

Identifying Problems Deviance can help bring about social change by

identifying problem areas. If many people are participating in the deviant behavior, it could be a warning sign that something in society needs to change.

 Providing Jobs

Dealing with deviance provides a multitude of jobs including judges, lawyers, police officers, prison personnel, parole officers, crime reporters, criminologists, etc.

Cultural Transmission Theory

Views deviance as a learned behavior, just as non-deviant behavior is learned (through interaction with others)

In many cases, deviant people have been exposed to deviant behavior more often and, as a result, the person is socialized into deviant behavior rather then into socially acceptable behavior. ▪ Differential Association—The proportion of

interactions a person has with deviant vs. non-deviant behavior will determine their socialized behavior.

Cultural Transmission Theory The cultural transmission theory is

an interactionist theory of deviance The difference between deviants and

the rest of society lies in the norms to which each person chooses to confirm. The deviant individual conforms to

norms that are not accepted by the larger community.

The non-deviant conforms to socially accepted norms.

Structural-Strain Theory A functionalist perspective on deviance. Views deviance as the natural outgrowth of

the values, norms, and structure of society. Not everyone in society has the ability to achieve economic success, and therefore deviant behavior is the result of unequal opportunity (lack of education, cannot find job, etc.) ▪ Anomie—A situation that arises when the norms of

society are unclear or are no longer applicable. Individuals do not have sufficient guidelines for behavior. (This leads to high rates of suicide)

Ways of adaptation to society

Conformity—When people accept the cultural goals of society and the means of reaching those goals

Innovation—When people accept the cultural goals of society, but not the means of reaching those goals. Many become deviants, using illegal means to gain wealth, power and status.

Ritualism—Instead of violating the norms for achievement, they give up the goals while continuing to observe the expected rules of behavior (Passing up a job promotion due to fear of rejection.)

Retreatism—Reject both cultural goals and ways in which to achieve them. Usually these people are drug addicts and beggars.

Rebellion—Trying to set new group of goals and means by which to achieve these goals. These are where members of revolutionary groups fall.

Structural-Strain Theory

Control Theory:

Turns to social structure for an explanation of deviant behavior. Control theorists see deviance as a natural occurrence and conformity as the result of social control.

People who have weak ties to the community are likely to commit deviant acts. Individuals who are integrated into the community are likely to conform.

Conflict Theory: Competition and social inequality lead to

deviance. They see social life as a struggle between those with power (upper class) and those without power (working/lower class).

People with power commit deviant acts to keep power. People without power commit deviant acts for two reasons—to obtain economic rewards or because they have low self-esteem/feel powerless.

Deviance here is anything that threatens the power base. They blame deviance mostly on the lower classes.

Labeling Theory: From the interactionist perspective, this theory

focuses on how individuals come to be labeled as deviant and believe all commit deviant acts at some point in life—but not all are labeled deviant.

Two types of deviance: ▪ Primary Deviance: nonconformity that goes

undetected by those in authority. These people do not consider themselves deviant—nor does society.

▪ Secondary Deviance: Results in individuals being labeled deviant and accepting this label as true. Because they are labeled, it changes his/her life. This becomes the person’s master status. (adopt permanent deviant life-style)