Lec 3

Question 1

Theorizing deviance

Early 20th century

Answer 1

Biological theories of crime

Question 2

Theorizing deviance

Mid-20th century

Answer 2

Social theories of deviance

Question 3

Those with more objective interests

Answer 3

Study the deviant person, behaviour or characteristic

Positivist approaches- using empirical evidence

Question 4

Those with more subjective interests

Answer 4

Study perceptions of and reactions to the act

Interpretive and critical approaches

Question 5

Why do people become deviant?

Positivist approaches

Answer 5

Functionalist theories-

Control theories- What actions we have in our routine that we control

Learning theories-

Question 6

Functionalist theories

Answer 6

Social structures fulfill functions (manifest functions (expected results) and latent functions (unexpected results))

Society is based on consensus

Concern with maintaining the social order

Question 7

Durkheim’s Anomie Theory

Answer 7

Increases social solidarity

Determines moral boundaries

Tests society’s boundaries

Reduces societal tension

A certain level of deviance is functional society

Question 8

Deviance and social solidarity example

Answer 8

The candlelight vigils that follow tragic events reflect social solidarity

Question 9

Durkheim’s Anomie Theory: The Problem of Too Much Social Change

Answer 9

Beyond a certain level deviance becomes dysfunctional

Mechanical solidarity leads to organic solidarity

Rapid social change creates anomie

Question 10

Mechanical solidarity

Answer 10

Commonalities between people

Question 11

Organic solidarity

Answer 11

Interdependence on those around you

Question 12

Anomie 3 aspects

Answer 12

Traditional norms deteriorate

Processes of social control decline

Insitituations become dysfunctional

Question 13

Merton’s Anomie and Strain Theories: The American Dream Gone Awry

Answer 13

Institutionalized goals + legitimate means

Anomie= goals more important than the means

Strain= Normative social order creates unequal access to legitimate means

Question 14

Merton’s Anomie and Strain Theories: Modes of adaptation

Answer 14

Conformity- Cultural goals + Means

Innovation- Cultural Goals

Ritualism- Means

Retreatism

Rebellion- can be cultural goals or means

Question 15

Differential opportunity theory: Access to the illegitimate world by Cloward and Ohlin

Answer 15

Legitimate opportunities and illegitimate opportunities lead to deviance vs conformity

Question 16

General strain theory By Robert Agnew

Answer 16

Multiple Causes of strain

Strain + negative affect+ certain coping strategies= deviance

The social structure creates strain and influences coping strategies

Question 17

General strain theory

Coping strategies

Answer 17

Cognitive strategies- Think about the strain differently

Emotional strategies- Reduce the negative emotions

Behavioural strategies- Change the source of the strain

Question 18

Limitations of functionalist theories

Answer 18

Critiques of functionalist logic (teleological and tautological reasoning)

Critiques of functionalist ideology ( Inherently supportive of the status quo)

Critiques of functionalist bias (Deviance as a lower-class phenomenon and Androcentric bias)

Question 19

Androcentric bias

Answer 19

Male experience is treated as the norm

Question 20

Teleological reasoning

Answer 20

Explanation by reference to something

Question 21

Tautological reasoning

Answer 21

A statement that is always true because it includes all logical reasoning

Question 22

Learning theories

Answer 22

People learn to be deviant

Question 23

Learning theories core assumptions

Answer 23

Processes of learning cause deviance

Different learning processes are highlighted by various learning theories

Question 24

Differential Association Theory By Edwin Sutherland

Learning from friends and family

Answer 24

Same learning process for both deviance and conformity

deviance is learned through small intimate groups

Techniques and motives are part of the learning process

Question 25

Differential Association Theory

Interactions are influenced by

Answer 25

Frequency

Duration

Priority

Intensity

Question 26

Social learning theory: Rewards, Punishments, imitation

Answer 26

Definitions

differential association

Differential reinforcement

Imitation

Question 27

Social learning theory is used to study

Answer 27

Adolescent alcohol use

Police corruption

Campus deviance by university students

Cyberbullying

Question 28

Sykes and Matza’s neutralization theory

Answer 28

An individual justifies deviant behaviour through “neutralization”

Question 29

Control theories

What restrains most of us from deviance

Answer 29

Deviance is inherently attractive, yet most of us do not engage in deviance

Focus on what causes conformity, rather than what causes deviance (the absence of those forces leads to deviance)

Question 30

Social bonds theory

Social bonds restrain us

Answer 30

Attachment

Commitment

Involvement

Belief

Question 31

Self control theory

We restrain ourselves

Answer 31

aka general theory of crime

Self-control restrains us (determined by parenting in early and remains relative stable throughout life)

Question 32

Limitations of control theories

Answer 32

Definition of self-control is tautological

It is somewhat teleological

Peer associations are ignored

Unable to explain the pursuit of anti-social deviance versus thrill seeking behaviours