Theories of Deviance - Cliffs Notes

Deviance is any behavior that violates social norms, and is usually of sufficient severity to warrant disapproval from the majority of society. MyPreferences MyReadingList Sociology ! Home StudyGuides Sociology TheoriesofDeviance AllSubjects TheSociologicalPerspective SociologyinAmerica ThreeMajorPerspectivesinSociology ComplementaryPerspectivesinSociology AnIntegratedPerspectiveinSociology DeducingwithSociologicalImagination SociologyandCommonSense TheFoundersofSociology SociologicalResearchMethods ScientificMethodforSociology BasicSociologicalResearchConcepts SociologicalResearch:Designs,Methods EthicsinSociologicalResearch EvaluatingSociologicalResearch SociologyasScience CultureandSocieties CulturalValues CulturalNorms CulturalDiversity TowardaGlobalCulture TypesofSocieties CultureandSocietyDefined Culture'sRoots:BiologicalorSocietal? MaterialandNon‐MaterialCulture SymbolsandLanguageinHumanCulture Socialization Piaget'sModelofCognitiveDevelopment CognitiveDevelopment:Age0–6 CognitiveDevelopment:Age7–11 CognitiveDevelopment:Age12–19 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age0–2 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age3–6 “Unsocialized”Children SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age7–11 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age12–19 SocialGroupsandOrganizations OrganizationalModels ProsandConsofBureaucracy SocialGroups SocialOrganizations Deviance,Crime,andSocialControl DefiningCrime CrimesagainstPeople CrimesagainstProperty TheCriminalJusticeSystem TheoriesofDeviance SocialandGlobalStratification TypesofSocialClassesofPeople SocialMobility CausesandEffectsofPoverty WhatDividesUs:Stratification RaceandEthnicity Minorities PrejudiceandDiscrimination NativeAmericans AfricanAmericans HispanicAmericans AsianAmericans RaceandEthnicityDefined SexandGender SexisminHigherEducation SexismintheWorkplace SexisminPolitics GenderandHomosexuality PrevalenceofHomosexuality,Bisexuality Definitions GenderIdentity GenderRoles GenderStereotypes SocialStratificationandGender SocialStratificationandHomosexuality EconomicsandPolitics ModernCorporationsandMultinationals LaborUnions PoliticsandMajorPoliticalStructure PoliticsintheUnitedStates EconomyDefined HistoricalOverviewofEconomics PredominantEconomicSystems Education TheoriesofEducation ReformofEducation GlobalPerspectiveonEducation CurrentIssuesinEducation UniversalEducation:GrowthandFunction Marriage,Family,AlternativeLifestyles RelationshipsinMiddleAdulthood RelationshipsinOlderAdulthood HomosexualandBisexualRelationships AdultDevelopment EarlyAdulthood:Age17–45 RelationshipsinEarlyAdulthood StartingaFamilyinEarlyAdulthood Religion Judaism,Christianity,andIslam Hinduism,Buddhism,Confucianism,andTaoism SociologicalTheoriesofReligion TypesofReligiousOrganizations SocialCorrelatesofReligion IntroductiontoReligion ReligiousFundamentalism TotemismandAnimism HealthandMedicine MedicalEstablishmentandProfessions HealthCare:CostsandInequality ManagedCareasaMeansofCostControl AccesstoHealthCare Euthanasia:TheRighttoDie? SociologicalPerspectiveonHealth PopulationandUrbanization PopulationandDemographicVariables UrbanizationandItsHistoricalStages ContemporaryMassMedia CreatingNewsandCulture OversimplificationandStereotyping ViolenceandPornographyintheMedia TheRoleandInfluenceofMassMedia SocialChangeandMovements ModelsofSocialChange TechnologyandSocialChange EnvironmentalismandSocialChange ResistingSocialChange SocialChangeDefined SocialMovements TheoriesofDeviance Devianceisanybehaviorthatviolatessocialnorms,andisusuallyofsufficientseveritytowarrantdisapprovalfromthemajorityofsociety.Deviancecanbecriminalornon‐criminal.Thesociologicaldisciplinethatdealswithcrime(behaviorthatviolateslaws)iscriminology(alsoknownascriminaljustice).Today,Americansconsidersuchactivitiesasalcoholism,excessivegambling,beingnudeinpublicplaces,playingwithfire,stealing,lying,refusingtobathe,purchasingtheservicesofprostitutes,andcross‐dressing—tonameonlyafew—asdeviant.Peoplewhoengageindeviantbehaviorarereferredtoasdeviants. Theconceptofdevianceiscomplexbecausenormsvaryconsiderablyacrossgroups,times,andplaces.Inotherwords,whatonegroupmayconsideracceptable,anothermayconsiderdeviant.Forexample,insomepartsofIndonesia,Malaysia,andMuslimAfrica,womenarecircumcised.Termedclitoridectomyandinfibulation,thisprocessinvolvescuttingofftheclitorisand/orsewingshutthelabia—usuallywithoutanyanesthesia.InAmerica,thethoughtoffemalecircumcision,orfemalegenitalmutilationasitisknownintheUnitedStates,isunthinkable;femalegenitalmutilation,usuallydoneinunsanitaryconditionsthatoftenleadtoinfections,isdoneasablatantlyoppressivetactictopreventwomenfromhavingsexualpleasure. Anumberoftheoriesrelatedtodevianceandcriminologyhaveemergedwithinthepast50yearsorso.Fourofthemostwell‐knownfollow. Differential-associationtheory EdwinSutherlandcoinedthephrasedifferentialassociationtoaddresstheissueofhowpeoplelearndeviance.Accordingtothistheory,theenvironmentplaysamajorroleindecidingwhichnormspeoplelearntoviolate.Specifically,peoplewithinaparticularreferencegroupprovidenormsofconformityanddeviance,andthusheavilyinfluencethewayotherpeoplelookattheworld,includinghowtheyreact.Peoplealsolearntheirnormsfromvarioussocializingagents—parents,teachers,ministers,family,friends,co‐workers,andthemedia.Inshort,peoplelearncriminalbehavior,likeotherbehaviors,fromtheirinteractionswithothers,especiallyinintimategroups. Thedifferential‐associationtheoryappliestomanytypesofdeviantbehavior.Forexample,juvenilegangsprovideanenvironmentinwhichyoungpeoplelearntobecomecriminals.Thesegangsdefinethemselvesascounterculturalandglorifyviolence,retaliation,andcrimeasmeanstoachievingsocialstatus.Gangmemberslearntobedeviantastheyembraceandconformtotheirgang'snorms. Differential‐associationtheoryhascontributedtothefieldofcriminologyinitsfocusonthedevelopmentalnatureofcriminality.Peoplelearndeviancefromthepeoplewithwhomtheyassociate.Criticsofthedifferential‐associationtheory,ontheotherhand,claimthevaguenessofthetheory'sterminologydoesnotlenditselftosocialscienceresearchmethodsorempiricalvalidation. Anomietheory Anomiereferstotheconfusionthatariseswhensocialnormsconflictordon'tevenexist.Inthe1960s,RobertMertonusedthetermtodescribethedifferencesbetweensociallyacceptedgoalsandtheavailabilityofmeanstoachievethosegoals.Mertonstressed,forinstance,thatattainingwealthisamajorgoalofAmericans,butnotallAmericanspossessthemeanstodothis,especiallymembersofminorityanddisadvantagedgroups.Thosewhofindthe“roadtoriches”closedtothemexperienceanomie,becauseanobstaclehasthwartedtheirpursuitofasociallyapprovedgoal.Whenthishappens,theseindividualsmayemploydeviantbehaviorstoattaintheirgoals,retaliateagainstsociety,ormerely“makeapoint.” Theprimarycontributionofanomietheoryisitsabilitytoexplainmanyformsofdeviance.Thetheoryisalsosociologicalinitsemphasisontheroleofsocialforcesincreatingdeviance.Onthenegativeside,anomietheoryhasbeencriticizedforitsgenerality.Criticsnotethetheory'slackofstatementsconcerningtheprocessoflearningdeviance,includingtheinternalmotivatorsfordeviance.Likedifferentialassociationtheory,anomietheorydoesnotlenditselftoprecisescientificstudy. Controltheory AccordingtoWalterReckless'scontroltheory,bothinnerandoutercontrolsworkagainstdevianttendencies.Peoplemaywant—atleastsomeofthetime—toactindeviantways,butmostdonot.Theyhavevariousrestraints:internalcontrols,suchasconscience,values,integrity,morality,andthedesiretobea“goodperson”;andoutercontrols,suchaspolice,family,friends,andreligiousauthorities.TravisHirschinotedthattheseinnerandouterrestraintsformaperson'sself‐control,whichpreventsactingagainstsocialnorms.Thekeytodevelopingself‐controlispropersocialization,especiallyearlyinchildhood.Childrenwholackthisself‐control,then,maygrowuptocommitcrimesandotherdeviantbehaviors. Whereastheoryalsosuggeststhatpeoplesocietylabelsas“criminals”areprobablymembersofsubordinategroups,criticsarguethatthisoversimplifiesthesituation.Asexamples,theycitewealthyandpowerfulbusinesspeople,politicians,andotherswhocommitcrimes.Criticsalsoarguethatconflicttheorydoeslittletoexplainthecausesofdeviance.Proponentscounter,however,byassertingthatthetheorydoesnotattempttodelveintoetiologies.Instead,thetheorydoeswhatitclaimstodo:Itdiscussestherelationshipsbetweensocialization,socialcontrols,andbehavior. Labelingtheory Atypeofsymbolicinteraction,labelingtheoryconcernsthemeaningspeoplederivefromoneanother'slabels,symbols,actions,andreactions.Thistheoryholdsthatbehaviorsaredeviantonlywhensocietylabelsthemasdeviant.Assuch,conformingmembersofsociety,whointerpretcertainbehaviorsasdeviantandthenattachthislabeltoindividuals,determinethedistinctionbetweendevianceandnon‐deviance.Labelingtheoryquestionswhoapplieswhatlabeltowhom,whytheydothis,andwhathappensasaresultofthislabeling. Powerfulindividualswithinsociety—politicians,judges,policeofficers,medicaldoctors,andsoforth—typicallyimposethemostsignificantlabels.Labeledpersonsmayincludedrugaddicts,alcoholics,criminals,delinquents,prostitutes,sexoffenders,retardedpeople,andpsychiatricpatients,tomentionafew.Theconsequencesofbeinglabeledasdeviantcanbefar‐reaching.Socialresearchindicatesthatthosewhohavenegativelabelsusuallyhavelowerself‐images,aremorelikelytorejectthemselves,andmayevenactmoredeviantlyasaresultofthelabel.Unfortunately,peoplewhoacceptthelabelingofothers—beitcorrectorincorrect—haveadifficulttimechangingtheiropinionsofthelabeledperson,eveninlightofevidencetothecontrary. WilliamChamblissin1973conductedaclassicstudyintotheeffectsoflabeling.Histwogroupsofwhite,male,high‐schoolstudentswerebothfrequentlyinvolvedindelinquentactsoftheft,vandalism,drinking,andtruancy.Thepoliceneverarrestedthemembersofonegroup,whichChamblisslabeledthe“Saints,”butthepolicedidhavefrequentrun‐inswithmembersoftheothergroup,whichhelabeledthe“Roughnecks.”TheboysintheSaintscamefromrespectablefamilies,hadgoodreputationsandgradesinschool,andwerecarefulnottogetcaughtwhenbreakingthelaw.Bybeingpolite,cordial,andapologeticwheneverconfrontedbythepolice,theSaintsescapedlabelingthemselvesas“deviants.”Incontrast,theRoughneckscamefromfamiliesoflowersocioeconomicstatus,hadpoorreputationsandgradesinschool,andwerenotcarefulaboutbeingcaughtwhenbreakingthelaw.Bybeinghostileandinsolentwheneverconfrontedbythepolice,theRoughneckswereeasilylabeledbyothersandthemselvesas“deviants.”Inotherwords,whilebothgroupscommittedcrimes,theSaintswereperceivedtobe“good”becauseoftheirpolitebehavior(whichwasattributedtotheirupper‐classbackgrounds)andtheRoughneckswereseenas“bad”becauseoftheirinsolentbehavior(whichwasattributedtotheirlower‐classbackgrounds).Asaresult,thepolicealwaystookactionagainsttheRoughnecks,butneveragainsttheSaints. Proponentsoflabelingtheorysupportthetheory'semphasisontherolethattheattitudesandreactionsofothers,notdeviantactsperse,haveonthedevelopmentofdeviance.Criticsoflabelingtheoryindicatethatthetheoryonlyappliestoasmallnumberofdeviants,becausesuchpeopleareactuallycaughtandlabeledasdeviants.Criticsalsoarguethattheconceptsinthetheoryareunclearandthusdifficulttotestscientifically. Previous TheCriminalJusticeSystem Next TypesofSocialClassesofPeople SociologyinAmerica ThreeMajorPerspectivesinSociology ComplementaryPerspectivesinSociology AnIntegratedPerspectiveinSociology DeducingwithSociologicalImagination SociologyandCommonSense TheFoundersofSociology ScientificMethodforSociology BasicSociologicalResearchConcepts SociologicalResearch:Designs,Methods EthicsinSociologicalResearch EvaluatingSociologicalResearch SociologyasScience CulturalValues CulturalNorms CulturalDiversity TowardaGlobalCulture TypesofSocieties CultureandSocietyDefined Culture'sRoots:BiologicalorSocietal? MaterialandNon‐MaterialCulture SymbolsandLanguageinHumanCulture Piaget'sModelofCognitiveDevelopment CognitiveDevelopment:Age0–6 CognitiveDevelopment:Age7–11 CognitiveDevelopment:Age12–19 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age0–2 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age3–6 “Unsocialized”Children SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age7–11 SocialandPersonalityGrowth:Age12–19 OrganizationalModels ProsandConsofBureaucracy SocialGroups SocialOrganizations DefiningCrime CrimesagainstPeople CrimesagainstProperty TheCriminalJusticeSystem TheoriesofDeviance TypesofSocialClassesofPeople SocialMobility CausesandEffectsofPoverty WhatDividesUs:Stratification Minorities PrejudiceandDiscrimination NativeAmericans AfricanAmericans HispanicAmericans AsianAmericans RaceandEthnicityDefined SexisminHigherEducation SexismintheWorkplace SexisminPolitics GenderandHomosexuality PrevalenceofHomosexuality,Bisexuality Definitions GenderIdentity GenderRoles GenderStereotypes SocialStratificationandGender SocialStratificationandHomosexuality ModernCorporationsandMultinationals LaborUnions PoliticsandMajorPoliticalStructure PoliticsintheUnitedStates EconomyDefined HistoricalOverviewofEconomics PredominantEconomicSystems TheoriesofEducation ReformofEducation GlobalPerspectiveonEducation CurrentIssuesinEducation UniversalEducation:GrowthandFunction RelationshipsinMiddleAdulthood RelationshipsinOlderAdulthood HomosexualandBisexualRelationships AdultDevelopment EarlyAdulthood:Age17–45 RelationshipsinEarlyAdulthood StartingaFamilyinEarlyAdulthood Judaism,Christianity,andIslam Hinduism,Buddhism,Confucianism,andTaoism SociologicalTheoriesofReligion TypesofReligiousOrganizations SocialCorrelatesofReligion IntroductiontoReligion ReligiousFundamentalism TotemismandAnimism MedicalEstablishmentandProfessions HealthCare:CostsandInequality ManagedCareasaMeansofCostControl AccesstoHealthCare Euthanasia:TheRighttoDie? SociologicalPerspectiveonHealth PopulationandDemographicVariables UrbanizationandItsHistoricalStages CreatingNewsandCulture OversimplificationandStereotyping ViolenceandPornographyintheMedia TheRoleandInfluenceofMassMedia ModelsofSocialChange TechnologyandSocialChange EnvironmentalismandSocialChange ResistingSocialChange SocialChangeDefined SocialMovements × BacktoTop AdamBede hasbeenaddedtoyour ReadingList! Ok Undo    ManageMyReadinglist × AdamBede hasbeenaddedtoyour ReadingList! Ok    ManageMyReadinglist × Removing#book# fromyourReadingListwillalsoremoveany bookmarkedpagesassociatedwiththistitle. Areyousureyouwanttoremove#bookConfirmation# andanycorrespondingbookmarks? Remove Cancel × × × REMOVED