Interactionists in crime Flashcards
Who are interactionists?
Theory that sees social behvaiour as interactive product of individual and the situation.
What are the four forms hat deviance can be defined in?
Social context, historical differences, interpretations and culture or sub-contextual.
Give an example of how definition’s of normality and deviance change according to historical period.
E.g., homosexuality and suicide defined as illegal activities until 1960s.
Give an example of how definitions of normality and deviance are relative to cultural/ subcultural context.
E.g., drinking illegal in Saudi Arabia, disapproved by Muslims in UK. What’s normal for a teen in UK may be seen as ‘deviant’ by adult society.
Interactionists believe deviance is a matter of interpretation, give two examples.
E.g., society disapproves killing people- different interpretations of killing; justifiable homicide, murder, self-defence, abortion
Some acts of killing regarded as justified/ more serious than others.
E.g., war, encourage soldiers to kill others and receive award.
•2012, gov announced those who kill burglars in defence of their fam and property unlikely to be prosecuted.
What do interactionists say definitions of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ behaviour are based on, give an example?
Behaviour differ according to social context.
E.g., nudity in some cases is fine (bedroom, nude beaches), if persistently carried out in public, symptom of mental illness/ criminality.
What does Becker say about deviance being a social construct?
No such thing as a deviant act- no act intentionally criminal/ deviant, in all situations. Instead defined as ‘wrong’.
Not nature of act that makes it deviant, but society’s reaction to it.
