U2 AOS1 Deviance Flashcards
Define deviance
Deviance is defined as a collection of conditions, persons or acts that society disvalues, finds offensive or condemns.
OR
Deviance as a relative concept and the relationship between norms (social codes) and deviance
OR
Describes a person or an action that deviates from society’s understood and accepted standards of behaviour
What is the main reaction to deviance?
Control and Contain
Acts of deviance
Consensus Crimes
Conflict Crimes
Social Deviations
Social Diversions
Reverse deviance
When a previously deviant act becomes normal/socially acceptable
or
When a previously normal/socially acceptable act becomes deviant
What are norms?
Norms dictate what is considered deviant or not, and norms are constantly changing
Explain Jeoul Durkheim’s functionalist theory
Durkheim’s functionalist theory is based on the idea that society is made up of interconnected parts, each of which have a function in keeping society stable. He thinks that a reasonable amount of deviance is useful to society because it can help maintain social control and social stability.
What are the four roles of deviance?
Affirms society’s cultural norms and values
Helps to clarify moral boundaries
Unifies others in society
Encourages social change
Explain the first role of deviance:
Affirms society’s cultural norms and values
- We can only know what’s ‘good’ in society by understanding what’s ‘not good’.
- The formal and informal sanctions used to either reward those who conform or punish those who deviate.
- Our shared disapproval of deviant behaviour strengthens our social solidarity.
Explain the second role of deviance:
Helps clarify moral boundaries
- When society reacts to deviance, it’s drawing a line, outlining what is acceptable behaviour.
- When certain behaviours cross a moral threshold, they can be sanctioned, either formally or informally.
- This creates a boundary between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’.
Explain the third role of deviance:
Unifies others in society
- Reactions to deviance helps bring society together.
- By reacting in similar ways to something that seems ‘wrong’ or ‘deviant’, we affirm to each other that we’re an “us” and the deviants are “them”.
- People typically react to serious deviance with shared outrage, e.g. people uniting after a school shooting.
Explain the fourth role of deviance:
Encourages social change
- Deviant people push a society’s moral boundaries, which can lead to change.
- Although functionalists would promote gradual, organic change rather than radical change.
- Organic change - started by society responding positively to deviant behaviour. Slowly, the deviant behaviour becomes normal and this creates social change.
Explain Travis Hirschi’s Social Control Theory
- Similar to functionalism it offers a structural explanation for deviance, but focuses more on delinquency and crime.
- Social control theory looks at the things that bind people to society and the influence this bond has on a person’s behaviour.
- Individuals who believe they are a part of society are less likely to commit crimes against it.
- The more invested and connected a person feels to others and their general environment, the less likely they are to engage in deviant behaviour.
What are the two forms social control and restraints come in?
- Inner
- Outer
Explain the inner social control and restraints
Inner - relate to a person’s interpersonal relationships, like their family, school and community
Explain the outer social control and restraints
Outer - relate to a person’s general environment, like their community and political and legal structures
Social control and deviance
- According to Hirschi, social control is directly affected by the strength of social bonds.
- Argues that deviance occurs when a lack of restraint and social control exists.
- Leads to individuals becoming disengaged and thus enhance the potential to engage/participate in and commit deviant acts.
- Argues that behaviour can be regulated by the use of positive and negative sanctions through effective socialisation - e.g. discipline through parents, enforcement of school rules = supports social control
What are Hirschi’s four core principles of social control theory:
- Attachment
- Commitment
- Involvement
- Belief
Explain Hirschi’s first core principle of social control theory
Attachment
Attachment
Summary - Individuals who care about the opinions of influential people will avoid deviancy.
Other points
- Attachment measures our connections to others.
- When we are closely attached to people, we worry about their opinions of us.
- People conform to society’s norms in order to gain approval (and prevent disapproval) from family, friends, and romantic partners.
Explain Hirschi’s second core principle of social control theory
Commitment
Commitment
Summary - Individuals with goals and commitments will avoid sacrificing these through acts of deviance.
Other points
- Commitment refers to the investments we make in conforming to conventional behaviour.
- There is a cost/benefit calculation in the decision to commit a crime in which the costs of being caught are much higher for some than others.
Example - a well-respected local business woman who volunteers in the community has more to lose in committing a crime than someone who does not have a career or ties to the community.
Explain Hirschi’s third core principle of social control theory
Involvement
Involvement
Summary - Individuals engaged in socially approved activities would be less likely to encounter opportunities to deviate.
Other points
- Involvement, or participation in socially legitimate activities, lessen a person’s likelihood of deviance.
- People who are involved in activities that make them a part of the community have a greater sense of involvement and connectedness.
Example - Children who are members of local sporting teams, social groups or other activities means fewer opportunities to engage in deviant behaviour.
Explain Hirschi’s fourth core principle of social control theory
Belief
Belief
Summary - Strong convictions about what is right and wrong are influential when someone is presented with opportunities to deviate.
Other points
- Belief is an agreement on common values in society.
- Strong convictions about what is right and wrong can influence a person’s behaviour.
- If a person views social values as beliefs, he or she will conform to them, rather than deviate from the norm.
Example - An environmentalist is more likely to pick up trash in a park because a clean environment is a social value to that person.
What is moral panic?
Moral panic refers to the fear (often irrational) that someone or something is a threat to the wellbeing (or ‘moral order’) of society
What are Cohens five stages of moral panic?
- initial deviance
- media involvement
- sensitisation
- overestimation
- escalation
Step 1: Initial deviance
Someone, something or a group is identified as a threat to society’s wellbeing.
Step 2: Media Involvement
The media reports on the threat in a simple, recognisable and often exaggerated way
Step 3: Sensitisation
Public and authorities see media representation, becomes concerned. Interpret neutral stimuli as potentially deviant.
Step 4: Overestimation
These factors combine to form an exaggerated picture of the actual deviance
Step 5: Escalation
Moral panic results in some escalation of control (either through legislation, tougher police, social stigma etc)
Explain the relativity of deviance?
Deviance is considered a relative concept due to the fact that you cannot fully define it. It is always changing depending on current time, location social norms and social values.
Define homogeneous
The assumption that all members of a group share the same experiences and characteristics.
What are social norms?
Layout the expectations for our daily lives, informing us about the ways that we are expected to behave in particular situations and contexts.
Define sanction
Sanctions are society’s reaction to deviant behaviour; they ca be positive or negative. Positive reactions reward behaviours that adhere to social norms, while negative reactions aim to discourage behaviours by punishing them.
Define self-fulfilling prophecy
Self-fulfilling prophecy refers to a person deciding to further engage in deviant behaviour that reinforces and fulfils the label given to them.
What are the six types of positive deviance?
- Altruism
- Charisma
- Innovation
- Supra-conformity
- Innate Characteristics
- Ex-deviant
Altruism
Altruism- Actions performed to help a person or a group
Done voluntarily, without reward or acknowledgement
Purely to benefit others
Charisma
Charisma- A person who has unique personal characteristics that set them apart from the ‘everyday’ person.
Natural leaders – highly regarded by supporters/followers
Charismatic relationship: It has to have a group that want to be led and a leader who is able to capture the sentiment and ability to lead and realise group objectives
Innovation
Innovation- Ideas and creations that alter society
Science, arts, food or technology
Note: innovators can initially be seen as agitators. Changes they champion can at first be contrary to norms.
Supra-conformity
Supra-conformity- A person performs beyond the normal expectations set by a society and culture to the point of an idealized level.
Innate Characteristics
Innate Characteristics- Possessing natural traits such as intelligence, beauty or talent.
These characteristics are assessed by society and culture.
Never universal – agreed upon by culture and society
Ex-deviant
Ex-deviant- those who have transcended a criminal deviant identity and label, and have replaced it with a new role that is no longer criminal and deviant
