U2 AOS1 Deviance

Question 1

Define deviance

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is the main reaction to deviance?

Answer 2

Control and Contain

Question 3

Acts of deviance

Answer 3

Consensus Crimes
Conflict Crimes
Social Deviations
Social Diversions

Question 4

Reverse deviance

Answer 4

When a previously deviant act becomes normal/socially acceptable
or
When a previously normal/socially acceptable act becomes deviant

Question 5

What are norms?

Answer 5

Norms dictate what is considered deviant or not, and norms are constantly changing

Question 6

Explain Jeoul Durkheim’s functionalist theory

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What are the four roles of deviance?

Answer 7

Affirms society’s cultural norms and values
Helps to clarify moral boundaries
Unifies others in society
Encourages social change

Question 8

Explain the first role of deviance:

Affirms society’s cultural norms and values

Answer 8

• 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.

Question 9

Explain the second role of deviance:

Helps clarify moral boundaries

Answer 9

• 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’.

Question 10

Explain the third role of deviance:

Unifies others in society

Answer 10

• 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.

Question 11

Explain the fourth role of deviance:

Encourages social change

Answer 11

• 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.

Question 12

Explain Travis Hirschi’s Social Control Theory

Answer 12

• 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.

Question 13

What are the two forms social control and restraints come in?

Answer 13

• Inner

- Outer

Question 14

Explain the inner social control and restraints

Answer 14

Inner - relate to a person’s interpersonal relationships, like their family, school and community

Question 15

Explain the outer social control and restraints

Answer 15

Outer - relate to a person’s general environment, like their community and political and legal structures

Question 16

Social control and deviance

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

What are Hirschi’s four core principles of social control theory:

Answer 17

• Attachment
• Commitment
• Involvement
• Belief

Question 18

Explain Hirschi’s first core principle of social control theory
Attachment

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Explain Hirschi’s second core principle of social control theory
Commitment

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Explain Hirschi’s third core principle of social control theory
Involvement

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Explain Hirschi’s fourth core principle of social control theory
Belief

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

What is moral panic?

Answer 22

Moral panic refers to the fear (often irrational) that someone or something is a threat to the wellbeing (or ‘moral order’) of society

Question 23

What are Cohens five stages of moral panic?

Answer 23

• initial deviance
• media involvement
• sensitisation
• overestimation
• escalation

Question 24

Step 1: Initial deviance

Answer 24

Someone, something or a group is identified as a threat to society’s wellbeing.

Question 25

Step 2: Media Involvement

Answer 25

The media reports on the threat in a simple, recognisable and often exaggerated way

Question 26

Step 3: Sensitisation

Answer 26

Public and authorities see media representation, becomes concerned. Interpret neutral stimuli as potentially deviant.

Question 27

Step 4: Overestimation

Answer 27

These factors combine to form an exaggerated picture of the actual deviance

Question 28

Step 5: Escalation

Answer 28

Moral panic results in some escalation of control (either through legislation, tougher police, social stigma etc)

Question 29

Explain the relativity of deviance?

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Define homogeneous

Answer 30

The assumption that all members of a group share the same experiences and characteristics.

Question 31

What are social norms?

Answer 31

Layout the expectations for our daily lives, informing us about the ways that we are expected to behave in particular situations and contexts.

Question 32

Define sanction

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

Define self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 33

Self-fulfilling prophecy refers to a person deciding to further engage in deviant behaviour that reinforces and fulfils the label given to them.

Question 34

What are the six types of positive deviance?

Answer 34

• Altruism
• Charisma
• Innovation
• Supra-conformity
• Innate Characteristics
• Ex-deviant

Question 35

Altruism

Answer 35

Altruism- Actions performed to help a person or a group
Done voluntarily, without reward or acknowledgement
Purely to benefit others

Question 36

Charisma

Answer 36

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

Question 37

Innovation

Answer 37

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.

Question 38

Supra-conformity

Answer 38

Supra-conformity- A person performs beyond the normal expectations set by a society and culture to the point of an idealized level.

Question 39

Innate Characteristics

Answer 39

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

Question 40

Ex-deviant

Answer 40

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