Deviance & Social Controls

Social Controls

• Every society develops norms that reflect its values & when people believe a norm is good, they expect others to follow it too.

• Those norms must be upheld if the society is to be stable.

• Two main ways that societies enforce their norms:1. Internalization2. Sanctions

Social Controls

• Internalization is the process by which a norm becomes part of a person’s personality, conditioning them to conform to society’s expectations

• People who have fully internalized a norm don’t have to be encouraged, coerced, or forced to follow it. The motivation comes from WITHIN, not from without.

• What school-related norms have you fully internalized? What was it like before you did?

Social Controls

• Not all members of a society internalize all of its norms – some have to be motivated from WITHOUT because it doesn’t come from within

• Sanctions are rewards or punishments used to enforce conformity to norms.

• There are several types– Positive sanctions– Negative sanctions– Formal sanctions– Informal sanctions

Types of Sanctions

Positive Negative

An action that rewards a particular kind of behavior

Punishment or the threat of punishment to ensure acceptable behavior

Formal

Given by a formal

organization or regulatory

agency

PromotionsPay raises

Bonus giftsRewards

FinesLow grades

School suspensionBeing fired

Imprisonment

Infor

mal

Spontaneously given by an individual or

group

SmilesCompliments

PraiseStanding ovations

FrownsGossip

ScoldingInsults

Being ignored

Social Controls

• Enforcing a norm by internal or external means is called Social Control

• All societies rely mainly on self-control to maintain social control – that is, norms that have been internalized

• Agents of external social control include authority figures, police, courts, religion, family, & public opinion

Cartoons

1. Get three sheets of printer paper2. Fold each in half– Page 1: Make cartoons of Positive sanctions, one

side formal, the other informal– Page 2: Make cartoons of Negative Sanctions,

one side formal, the other informal– Page 3: Make a before & after internalization

cartoon3. Make them interesting, neat, & colorful

Journal Questions #7

• Relate a story of a norm that you once had to be forced to conform to, but now have internalized. What happened to change things? Describe the process.

• Relate a story of a norm that you have accepted in the past, but are beginning to question. What do you think will happen if you fail to conform to it? Would it be worth it? Describe your thinking.

• Is social control necessary? What would life be like without it?

DEVIANCE

Deviance

• Most people internalize the norms of their society, but even sanctions can’t insure COMPLETE conformity & social control

• Deviance is behavior that is recognized as violating expected rules & norms

Deviance in Context

1. Happens in a social context; not just individual behavior

2. Relative to the group viewing the behavior3. Recognizes that rules & norms are socially created,

not morally decreed or individually imposed4. Deviance is situationally dependent (who, when, &

where?)– Racial grouping?– Sexual behavior?– Definition changes over time: Date rape?

Social Functions of Deviance

• Durkheim said that society NEEDS deviant behavior for several reasons:

1. Clarifies norms – punishing deviance affirms the social values of the group; warns others not to do the same

2. Unifies the group – defines who does or does not adhere to the norms of the group

Social Functions of Deviance

3. Diffuses tension – allows people who are unhappy with their lives or social conditions to strike out at society

4. Promotes social change – when large numbers of people violate certain social norms, it can indicate a problem that prompts action to correct it

Functionalist Perspective on Deviance

• Strain Theory (Robert Merton) views deviance as a natural outgrowth of the values, norms, & structure of society

• The structure of society does not always allow equal access to achieving the goals it values

• Alternately, some may not accept the goals as valid

• Such a situation can create an anomie, a situation where the norms of society are unclear or no longer seem to apply

Conflict Perspective on Deviance

• Believe that competition & social inequality lead to deviance

• People in power commit deviant acts to maintain their position

• People without power do so for one of two reasons:

1. To get economic rewards2. Self-destructive impulses stemming from

powerlessness

“The ruling classes label any behavior that threatens their power base as deviant. Because the lower classes have only limited opportunities in life, they are often forced to commit acts defined as deviant. To protect their power, the ruling classes establish belief systems that explain deviance as a problem found primarily among the lower classes. Thus, law enforcement efforts are most often directed toward the types of crimes committed by the lower classes. People without power do not necessarily commit more crimes. They commit the types of crimes that are most likely to be detected & punished.”

Interactionist Perspective on Deviance

• Control Theory– More concerned with why people conform than why they

deviate– Strong integration with the community means that a

person is more likely to adhere to norms• Person forms strong relationships with others who accept

the norms• Strong belief in a moral code affirming the values of the

society• Show commitment to social values• Fully involved in non-deviant activities, leaving little time

for deviant behavior

Related Ideas

• Cultural transmission– By associating with people that are engaged in

deviant acts, a person is socialized into deviant behavior

– All people are conformists, the only difference is WHICH group you conform to

– People usually conform to groups with which they have personal relationships, usually your primary group

Related Ideas

• Techniques of Neutralization– Some people show strong commitment to society’s

norms, but still engage in deviant behavior by temporarily suspending their moral beliefs

1. Denying responsibility, “Not my fault”2. Denying injury, “Didn’t hurt anyone”3. Denying the victim “They had it coming”4. Condemning authorities “Who are they to accuse

me?”5. Appealing to higher loyalties “I did it for the right

reason”

Interactionist Perspective on Deviance

• Labeling Theory– Focuses on how people become

identified as deviant– EVERYONE is deviant at some point

in their lives, but not everyone is identified as such.

– Two types if deviance1. Primary deviance – occasional,

well concealed, & undetected2. Secondary deviance – results in

being labeled as deviant & public acceptance of it

Interactionist Perspective on Deviance

• The process of being labeled deviant is usually accompanied by a degradation ceremony– This is a public event in which the person is denounced,

found guilty, & given the label• People then begin to interpret ALL of the deviant’s

behavior in light of the new label• The label becomes, in effect, the person’s master

status, restricting the deviant’s options & forcing him/her into a deviant lifestyle.– A self-fulfilling prophesy that leads to more deviant acts

Journal Questions #8

• Do you agree that minor acts of deviance are a safety valve for society’s pressure? Why or why not?

• How do the categories of Merton’s Strain Theory show up in your life? How do you or people you know fit those categories?

• What labels have you been given? How have those labels affected how you see yourself? How have those labels altered your range of options?