DevianceWhat is Deviance?Deviance, simply saying, is the violation of group norms. Deviance is behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or societySociologically, we are all deviant from time to time.Deviance involves the violation of group norms which may or may not be formalized into lawNot all deviance consists of breaking laws.

DevianceExamples of deviants:alcoholics gamblers Standards of deviance vary from one group (subculture) to anotherDeviance can only be understood within its social contextDeviance is subjective - subject to social definitions - it varies with time, culture and place

Misconceptions of DevianceDeviant behavior is always bad behavior.

Deviant behavior is always voluntary.

Deviant behavior is a criminal behavior.

Functions of Deviance (functionalist perspective)

Deviance makes conformity seem more desirable.Deviance helps to define social norms.Deviance increases group solidarity.Deviance can bring necessary social change. Deviance can create social control.

Dysfunctions of Deviance

Deviance can be a threat to the social orderDeviance can cause confusion about normsDeviance may destroy interpersonal trustDeviance diverts valuable resources from other social needsDeviance destroys the motivation of other people.

Deviance (Functionalist Perspective)Deviance is a part of human existence and has positive and negative consequences for societyDeviance promotes social unity for it reaffirms the groups norms.Social controlSocial changeDurkheims view: Durkheim introduced the term anomie, defined as a state of normlessness that occurs during periods of profound social change & disorders.

Robert MertonMerton examined how people adapted to the acceptance or rejection of a societys goals. Mertons Anomie Theory of Deviance or structural strain theory examines how people conform to or deviate from cultural expectations.

Merton studied American society.

Peoples goal-success in terms of money

Means to achieve goal-Education, hard work, Punctuality etc.

+ indicates acceptance- indicates rejection+ indicates replacement Merton: Social Structure & Anomie

Merton:Conformity: Conformity to both the social goals and approved means is the non-deviant act.

Innovation: The innovator accepts the goals of a society but pursues them with means regarded as improper.

Ritualism: The ritualist abandons the goal of material success and becomes compulsively committed to the means.

Retreatism: The withdrawal from both the goals and means of the society.

Rebellion: The rebel attempts to create a new social structure and also abandons the societys approved goals and means and replaces with new goals and new means.

Interactionist PerspectiveFocuses on everyday behavior and why or how a person comes to commit a deviant act. Edwin Sutherland:Edwin Sutherland introduced the cultural transmission theory which holds that one learns criminal behavior through interactions with others.

Sutherland argued that all behavior is the result of socialization though interaction. Deviance is learned.

He also argued that through interaction with a primary group and significant others people acquire definitions of proper or improper behavior. He used the term differential association to describe the process through exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to violations of rules.

Edwin Sutherland: Differential Association

Learning depends on: Intensity Frequency Duration & also two types of social interaction: The interaction which inspires deviant behavior. The interaction, which promotes acceptance of social norms. The easiest way to think about this theory is to rely on your understanding of the concept peer pressure.Ex: Peer Pressure Drug/Alcohol Use

Deviance (Interactionist continued)Labeling TheoryLabeling theory attempts to explain why certain people are viewed as deviants while others are not and emphasizes how a person comes to be labeled as deviant and to accept this label.

Howard Beckers Labeling Theory Emphasizes that deviance and conformity result, not so much from what people do, as from how others respond to those actions.

Labeling Theory

Reality is a matter of how people label behavior.Labeling is dependent on when an action took place, where an action took place, and who was involved.Related to dramaturgy dependent on the timing, setting, and actors.Crime is a matter of socially constructed reality, a highly variable process of perception, definition, and response. Thus the line separating crime from conformity is thin and ever-changing.

Labeling theoryLabeling theory calls attention to two kinds of deviance.A. Primary DevianceThis refers to the act of breaking a rule.B. Secondary DevianceSecondary deviance is the process that occurs when a person who has been labeled a deviant accepts that new identity and continues the deviant behavior (Kendall, 1998:196).

Beckers Typology

NOT LABELEDLABELEDRULE ABIDINGConforming CitizenFalsely AccusedRULE BREAKINGSecret DeviantPure Deviant

Conflict TheoryConflict theory holds that people with power protect their own interests and define deviance to suit their own needs.

CrimeCrime is defined as a violation of criminal law for which some governmental authority applies formal penalties.

Types of CrimeProfessional Crime: Crime pursued as a persons day-to-day occupation. Sutherland--"it's my job." Learning, career, group, integration into everyday life. Example: pick-pocketing.

Organized Crime: The work of a group that regulates relations between various criminal enterprises. Example: Mafia group, Gold smuggling etc.

CrimeTypes of CrimeWhite Collar and Technology-Based Crime: Illegal acts committed in the course of business activities, often by affluent people. Example- Consumer fraud, Bribery, income tax evasion, computer hacking etc.Crimes committed by high status individual and corporations as a part of their everyday business activity. Less visible, VERY costly, hard to control, rarely significant penalties imposed. Violators often aren't defined a criminal. Even with conviction--little harm done to person's career.

CrimeTypes of CrimeVictimless cri me: A type of crime that occurs when adults exchange widely desired, but illegal goods and services.A victimless crime is one where an act that violates an established law is committed, without leaving a victim behind; that is, there is no resulting damage to a person or property.

CrimeTypes of CrimeWhite Collar and Technology-Based Crime: Illegal acts committed in the course of business activities, often by affluent people. Example- Consumer fraud, Bribery, income tax evasion, computer hacking etc.Crimes committed by high status individual and corporations as a part of their everyday business activity. Less visible, VERY costly, hard to control, rarely significant penalties imposed. Violators often aren't defined a criminal. Even with conviction--little harm done to person's career.

CrimeTypes of crimeThe word "transnational" describes crimes that are not only international (that is, crimes that cross borders between countries), but crimes that by their nature involve border crossings as an essential part of the criminal activity. Transnational crimes also include crimes that take place in one country, but their consequences significantly affect another country. Examples of transnational crimes include: human trafficking, people smuggling, smuggling/trafficking of goods (such as arms trafficking and drug trafficking). Transnational, organized crime (TOC) refers specifically to transnational crime carried out by organized crime organizations.

Social ControlOrder is maintained through social controlControl occurs at all levels Most respect and accept Expect same of others (predictability) Failure leads to sanctions (formal and informal)

Social ControlTwo ways: Internal (Internalization)

External (formal & informal)

Informal and Formal Social ControlInformal Social Control

Informal social control is used casually to enforce normsUsually carried out by primary groups( Family, Peer group) Informal social control includes:smileslaughterridiculeraising an eyebrow

Formal Social ControlLaw and SocietySome norms are so important to a society that they are formalized into laws controlling peoples behaviors.Laws are governmental social control and are created in response to perceived social needs for formal social control

Internal Social Control:Sociologists often describe this as the internalization of norms, instead of using the word conscience.