intro to deviance and conformity Flashcards
what is the commonality between all definitions of deviance?
all are negative
what is deviance?
- a person, behavior or characteristic that is socially typed as deviant and subjected to measures of social control
- social control can range from a dirty look to being put in jail
what are norms?
standards of behavior maintained by society
ex. standing the ‘wrong way’ on the elevator
what are the two categories of an informal norm?
- mores (morality)
ex. children should not work in dangerous conditions / work full-time - folkways (politeness)
ex. cover your mouth when you yawn, cough into elbow
what are formal norms?
laws, regulations
- generally written !
what are the three characteristics of norms?
norms are subject to change
- cannabis used to not be legal
norms are culturally specific
- don’t greet someone by kissing them on the cheek in Canada
norms are circumstance specific
- wearing a bikini to the beach is
acceptable, wearing one to lecture would be odd
overall, all norms are subject to?
social control !!
what is social control?
attempts by others to regulate people’s thoughts / behaviour
social typing is a process that includes what three steps?
description: label (bag lady)
evaluation: judgement (poor, homeless, dirty)
prescription: how we respond to individuals based on their label (assume that she has no money if she tried to take a loan)
an example of social typing?
redneck woman
what are the consequences of being deviantized?
criminal record
isolation / loneliness
what are the traits of the objective dichotomy?
- deviance is a quality
- a common trait
- deviance: behaviors or characteristics that have that trait
what are the traits of the subjective dichotomy?
subjective definition:
- deviance is a process
- no common trait
- behaviors that people in power say are in need of control
- process: who decided something was
deviant?
define the objective position
there is an INHERENT quality in certain people, behaviors or characteristics that MAKE them deviant
what are the four categories of the objectivist position?
- statistical rarity
- harm
- normative violation
- negative societal reaction
example of a statistical rarity?
giving candy to the food bank
example of harm?
drinking alcohol before 18
example of normative violation
male wearing speedo at the beach
example of a negative societal reaction?
20 year old smoking marijuana while walking the dog
what are the four types of harm?
physical, emotional, social, and ontological (a threat to the fundamental ways we understand the world and our place in it, such as religion)
what is the subjective definition?
deviance is a social construction, nothing inherent about the characteristic that is deviant, only that society makes it deviant
- people, behaviors, or characteristics that people in power say are in need of control
what are moral entrepreneurs?
those who see something as wrong, and make it their life mission to eradicate or increase that behavior
- typically from the upper class
- often have to rely on others to implement their agenda
what are crusaders?
people who are disturbed by a perceived ‘evil’ and embark on a ‘holy mission’ to address it
what was the bootlegger and baptist dilemma?
- baptists are strongly organized groups who were opposed to alcohol consumption / sales
- bootleggers were interested in prohibition and wanted more restrictions on the sale of alcohol
- politicians did not want to lose support from either the bootleggers or the baptits
- USA the resolution was sunday, the lords day, was not allowed to sell alcohol
