Deviance

Question 1

What did Cesare Lombroso state regarding criminals?

Answer 1

There are four types of criminals:
- born criminals
- criminally insane
- epileptic criminals 
- occasional criminals 
Lombroso found that within male inmates they are born with a genetic throwback that made them criminals. Criminals also have different skulls according to Lombroso

Question 2

Explain atavism.

Answer 2

A genetic throwback; genetic traits that weren’t there generations before. Women can’t be true criminals because they aren’t evolved enough to develop throwbacks.

Question 3

What is eugenics?

Answer 3

Coined by Francis Galton - Darwin’s cousin - in 1883 to refer to improvement of the human race by the use of genetic policy based on the principles of heredity. For example, Hitler’s policies involving killing off Jews, intellectually disabled and those with mental illnesses. Based on the belief that these people are biologically unfit human beings.

Question 4

What is the statistical definition of deviance?

Answer 4

Common definitions determine what is normal or non-deviant; anything that statistical minority represents as deviance. Statistics are NOT a way of determining what is normal and what is deviant.

Question 5

What is the sociological perspective of deviance?

Answer 5

Deviance is something that violates a social norm.

Question 6

Explain how a functionalist, absolutist and reactivist would define deviance.

Answer 6

Functionalist: focus on the function of the social norm being violated. Deviance functions to maintain social cohesion, define social boundaries and allow for change.
Absolutist: deviance results from a value judgement based on absolute standards. Certain actions and conditions qualify as Deviant because they have always been defined as deviance - through tradition or custom.
Reactivist: deviance is whatever a social audience reacts against (or labels) as deviant. Something that elicits no reaction escapes identification as deviant.

Question 7

Explain what deviant depends on and an example

Answer 7

Depends on a group’s notion of actions and conditions that should and should not occur. This situational conception can change in different situations. Example: we consider incest deviant but ancient Egyptian pharaohs married their sisters.

Question 8

Why is deviance important according to Durkheim?

Answer 8

Any society needs deviance in able to perform as a society. Deviance is functional because social change can only come from deviance; if the whole point of any particular society is to reach equilibrium, it was only deviance that would change it.

Question 9

What are the four necessary ingredients for deviance to take place?

Answer 9

1. A rule or norm
2. Someone to violate the norm
3. An audience to judge that violation
4. A negative reaction to the individual who violates it.

Question 10

What is deviance NOT?

Answer 10

• an absolute judgement on right or wrong.
• it’s not defined by the harm an action does. Many harmless actions are considered deviant while many harmful ones are not; painting your face blue is considered deviant, whereas driving a car and causing pollution isn’t considered deviant.
• it is not the act or the outfit, but the meaning attached to it.
• it’s not a set of characteristics or behaviours of individuals but comes about as a process, between those named as deviant and those who do the naming.

Question 11

Explain labelling theory of deviance.

Answer 11

Like functionalism it maintains that there are no given norms or values, but they are contextual and are constantly changing. The important consideration is not the norm or the breaking of the norm, but the social reaction to it.

Question 12

What did Howard Becker argue about deviance?

Answer 12

Deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender’. The deviant is one to whom the label has successfully been applied; deviant behaviour is behaviour that people do label.

Question 13

What does power have to do with deviance?

Answer 13

Some have the power to label, some are in a position of power to avoid the consequences. Other people do not have power and thus the label can stick.

Question 14

What is successful labelling?

Answer 14

A process where the end product is self-identity as a deviant. It becomes a master status.

Question 15

Explain Edwin Lemert’s view of deviance

Answer 15

Lemert established a model for understanding how deviance can coexist with or become central to ones identity.
Primary deviance: deviance is quite common and people normally get away with small actions.
Secondary deviance: the act is found out and through some label the individual accepts it as part of their own identity.

Question 16

Explain Goffman’s master status

Answer 16

This is the final stage of successful deviance; accepting the master status of being deviant. Once someone is labelled deviant, everything about them is seen through that label of deviance.

Question 17

What are some criticisms of deviance?

Answer 17

• no interest in etiology; meaning what leads people to commit the act in the first place.
• labelling is too deterministic; assumption that actions are determined by causes regarded as external to the will.

Question 18

What important things produce a moral panic?

Answer 18

• a perceived problem; usually an outsider group.
• a moral entrepreneur: somebody who has a vested interest in an outcome.
• media interest; exaggerated.
• deviance amplification; outsider groups are drawn to it.

Question 19

What are some criticisms of moral panic?

Answer 19

• no distinction between actions that are petty and produce panics and actions that are seen as important and need attention.
• moral entrepreneurs considered right-wing but not always.

Question 20

What types of social control are there according to Chriss?

Answer 20

Informal = avoidance to fix, asked to leave, threaten to call police.
Legal = police report, squad car
Medical = psychological examination, known to each other.

Question 21

Explain conflict theory

Answer 21

Social order comes from one group oppressing another less powerful, minority groups. Laws reflect interests of the powerful, Marxist and Feminist views.

Question 22

Explain interpretive theory

Answer 22

Subjective orientation and meanings of those involved. Social order is negotiated; how do individuals take on those identities?

Question 23

What did Foucault propose?

Answer 23

Control of the body to control the mind, power isn’t just top-down.

Question 24

What are norms?

Answer 24

Rules for behaviour, a guide for conduct. Statements that regulate behaviour.

Question 25

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 25

Using your folkway to judge others. Culturally defined e.g. Hand signs

Question 26

What are taboos?

Answer 26

Things that shouldn’t ever be done, morally apprehensible.

Question 27

Define folkways

Answer 27

A societal force to the extent that the frequent repetition of acts by all members of the group produces habits, and these habitual ways of acting produce a staring on everyone else to conform to them. They arise only after a long period of trial and error

Question 28

What is an example of a folkway?

Answer 28

In families, a folkway exists which suggests people ought to address their parents as mum and dad. If one calls their parents by their names, it may cause a mild disturbance but isn’t seen as a major issue requiring a negative sanction.

Question 29

What are mores?

Answer 29

They are folkways that have become formalised and codified as ‘truths’. A large part of mores consists of taboos, things that shouldn’t be done. Serious and harsh punishments occur from violation of mores. Examples include having sex with the wrong person, incest for instance.

Question 30

What are laws?

Answer 30

Norms that are considered to be so vital to the wellbeing of the group that their violation are to be addressed by whatever collective resources are available, and ought to be addressed in a systematic, standard way.

Question 31

Explain consensus theory

Answer 31

Theory states that the unity of social life is a matter of agreement and understanding between individuals. Argued that shared norms and values are the key element in the maintenance of a stable and orderly society.