CHAPTER 1 - determining deviance Flashcards
define deviance and what are the two ways to do so?
deviance is a highly contested concept meaning that a consensus on the definition is not reached. hence, there is a problem with the definition itself.
there is dictionary definition - which states that deviance is anything when something violates or deviate from the societal norms.
individual differences-
that everyone has there own definition of whats devaicne - its very subjective and is based on our beliefs.
hence, hard to draw concrete definitions from it.
why were nuts, sluts, and pervert used and when? what is the problem with it?
in the earlier days, these terms were used because devaicne was anything that was objectively defined - it were the extreme acts such as nuts, sluts, and perverts that were seen as deviant.
But, the problem with this is that it excludes the white collar crime that might cause more harm than this.
earlier ways of devaince and the emrgence of dichotomy?
so earlier, there was a distinct line between the objectivist and subjectivist but since the dichotomy the line has become a little blurry.
the dichotomy combines the element of the both.
objectivist
focuses on the act and why someone commits the act.
4 aspects: harm, statistical rarity, normaitive violation, and societal reaction.
objectivist can measure and observe deviance. these are certain characterisitcs that are seen as inheritely universal.
so, if you have certain charactersistc, you are seen as being deviant.
MAIN FOCUS IS ON THE ACT.
DEVAICNE IS OBJECTIVELY REAL –> CAN GO OUT AND OBSERVE AND FIND THINGS, AND EXPLAIN THEM.
Subjective approach to deviance
this depends of the perception and reaction of people around us. so deviant is not characterisitically or objectively defined but rahter based on society and how they define it.
we are taught this.
IT is a social construct.
someone has to tell us what deviance is.
key thing that subjectivist focus on is: why certain things are seen as deviant but not the other things.
objectivism: statistical rarity. what is the problem with it?
an act is defined as deviant if it occours less.
but, the problem with this is that sometime an act is not rare but still defined as deviant - under age drinking. USED IN TEXT AS AN EXAMPLE
How do we define what rare is?
conversely, many acts are rare but they are not seen as deviant - ex. left handedness.
HENCE, it posses limitation.
Harm and what are the 4 types? what is the problem with i
something is deviant if it causes harm.
4 types of harm
physical - causes physical harm
emotional - causes emotional distress to people.
social- causes harm to the social strucutre of the society. ex. crime - it undermines social stability. but, crime actually has physical, emotional, and social harm.
ontological harm - is when something poses a threat to the understanding of the world. ex. some culture pose a threat to how the world is seen.
PROBLEM:
- the perception of harm varies over time.
hence, the idea of harm changes - its dynamic.
ex. reffer madness video: focused on danger of mariguane. mariguana was seen as harmful in the back days but not anymore.
- perception of harm are subjective - so soemthing that is seen as harmful to one might not be seen as harmful by others. ex. harming your own self vs. harming others.
- sometimes the reaction causes more harm than the deviance itself.
ex. drug use - using the drug might not have caused that much harm to the person as much as going to the jail and then being labeled as a criminal. this causes social harm - so, anywhere the criminal system is involved and harmed - you are undermining its stability.
Societal reaction
something is deviant if the society reacts negatively to it.
people around us can react with anger, avoidance, punishment, hostility.
PROBLEM with it:
- why is it that some things and not others recieve a negative reaction?
- also, how strong of a reaction is needed in order for something to be classified as deviant.
- some people reasction count more than others - people that are in power’s reaction count more than the ordinary people. ex. politicians, buisness man.
- and policy- making is oftne based on something other than soceital opinion - it is usually based on what people with power think is deviant.
sometimes it does not matter what the societal reaction is - policies are made based on what people in power wants.
ex. legalization of marijuana. when the conservative party was in power - it never happened even though the society wanted it - this is because the party in power did not want that.
Normative violation –> what did absolutist change to?
when someone violates a norm - that is considered deviant.
earlier objectivity were considered to be absolutist –> they believed that something is seen as deviant if it posses particular characterisitcs that is considerd universally deviant.
However, now there is a relativist view –> where context matters. so, norms changes based on culture and time. Hence, to relativist –> deviant is historically specific.
ex. an absolutist will say that incest is always wrong it does not matter on the context. but, a relativist will say that it is ok in certain cultures.
Problem with norms?
Not all norms are the same:
- folkways: these are informal and causal, that is something engraned in us through our society.
these are our everyday coustoms. ex. standard or personal space, how to derss. when violtaed - get the nodding head, you are thought of as odd but not evil.
mores: more forced –> the reaction to these violation is more drastic –> when violated, you are thought of as threat. can get fired, expel…ex. interracial marriages were considerd threat to the racial purity.
Laws : formal norms. something that is decided by the society as deviant and hence put into the justice system. our most improtant normes are reflected in our laws.
difference between folkway and mores
what is rude vs. what is right?
where do norms come from?
consensus view: everyone in the society comes to a consensus taht something is deviant hence it should be made a norm. people that violate these norms are responded to in teh same way. ex. same punishment for eveyrone that consider a murder.
conflict view: it says that norms and laws should be applied equally to everyone but, that does not happen because the elicit will create laws that protect there views. in this, way, the homesless and poors are considered a threat and hence, the conflict view targets the poors.
The conflict and consensus are the two extreme.
Interactionist –> the middle ground: the elite and powerful peple are deciding laws but they are based on what the society wants.
what are prescriptive vs. proscreptive norms
prescrptive norms specify what we should do. ex. we should pay our takes.
proscreptive norms specify what we shold not do. ex. dont chea.t.
does the concept of norm implies consensus? what are the two types?
yes it does.
high consensus deviance : everyone come to a consensus that things like assult, murder, roberry is considered deviant.
low- consensus deviance: these are things that are considered deviant by some and not others. there is less agreement on it. ex. porn, body modification.
situational variation in norms?
there are sometimes when killing is not seen as deviant but rather an expected act. ex. police and military.
since, the 4 approaches to the objectivist method has its own limitation - there was a shift fromt the objectivist to the subjectivist in the 1900s.
