Unit 2 Outcome 1: Social Norms/Deviance

Question 1

Social Norms:

Answer 1

Socially constructed appropriate behaviours within a society or group.

Question 2

Deviance:

Answer 2

Any activity or behaviour that contravenes or breaks social norms, which can take the form of laws, regulations, guidelines, conventions, expectations, understandings, or other rules.

Question 3

Folkways:

Answer 3

Informal rules and norms whose violation is not offensive, but expected to be followed. Deviating from folkways does not invite any punishment or sanctions, but some reprimands or warnings. E.g. Chewing with mouth open.

Question 4

Mores:

Answer 4

Mores are informal rules that are not written, but result in severe punishments and social sanction upon the individual that has participated in a deviant act. Severe punishments include things like social or religious exclusion.

Question 5

Laws:

Answer 5

Formal rules and regulations in society bound with punishments that are created in reaction or anticipation to deviance, and intend to prevent it. Is a form of social control.

Question 6

Social Control:

Answer 6

Regulation of people’s actions by others using positive or negative sanctions so they remain within social norms.

Question 7

Social Change:

Answer 7

Any change in society brought about by a social movement, specifically as a result of deviance.

Question 8

Types of sanctions:

Answer 8

• Positive (rewards) or negative (punishments).
• Organised: Formally specified as a response to deviant behaviour.
• Dispersed: Informal and spontaneous sanctions.

Question 9

•Structural functionalism and deviance

Answer 9

• Theorist: Emil Durkheim
• Focuses on Industrial Revolution →
• Time period = organic

Question 10

Natural Deviance (functionalism):

Answer 10

Everyday breaking of rules and norms by people constrained by social structure.

Question 11

Anomic Deviance (functionalism):

Answer 11

Happens when society is breaking down or changing.

Question 12

2 main functions of deviance (functionalism):

Answer 12

• Maintains moral consensus (Eg. Solidarity after terrorism - public agreement).
• Facilitates social change (Eg. LGBT acceptance).

Question 13

4 specific functions of deviance (functionalism):

Answer 13

• Affirmation of society’s social values/norms
• Classification of moral boundaries
• Unification of others in society
• Encouraging social change

Question 14

Problems with functionalist theory:

Answer 14

• Fails to consider the causes of deviance.

* Fails to consider the impact on the victim.

Question 15

Moral Panic

Answer 15

The intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order.

Question 16

Reintegrative shaming

Answer 16

A process that attempts to simultaneously shame an offender for their crime and restore them to full participation in society, by making the offender apologise to the victim(s) and engage in some form of restitution to the victim/community.

Question 17

Labelling

Answer 17

Stigmatising an individual or group as deviant.

Question 18

Symbolic interactionist theory

Answer 18

Individuals may interpret behaviour as deviant and another may not, emphasises the relativity of deviance

Question 19

•Labelling/interactionist theory (Howard Becker)

Answer 19

Behaviour is not inherently deviant, it only becomes deviant once it has been defined by others.

Question 20

Problems with Becker’s labelling theory:

Answer 20

• It is too relative, the same action can be deviant and not deviant.
• Fails to recognise examples of widespread condemnation, such as murder and incest.
• Fails to address individuals who deviate from social norms and are not caught.

Question 21

•Hirschi’s theory/social bonds theory

Answer 21

The theory that the strength of the social bonds of attachment, commitment, involvement and belief can influence the likelihood of a person committing a crime

Question 22

Relativism and deviance:

Answer 22

What is considered deviant changes through different historical time periods, ages, genders, cultural statuses and location. It is relative to each one.

Question 23

Problems with Hirschi’s social bonds theory:

Answer 23

• Fails to look at the significant influence of peers on deviancy.
• Does not address all types of crime, such as white-collar crime.
• Fails to adequately define social control.

Question 24

Restitution:

Answer 24

Compensation

Question 25

Attachment (Hirschi):

Answer 25

Strong social bonds with positive role models = less deviance.

Question 26

Commitment (Hirschi):

Answer 26

More investments = less deviance because people do not want to risk investments such as respect.

Question 27

Involvement (Hirschi):

Answer 27

Involvement in socially approved activities = less deviance.

Question 28

Belief (Hirschi):

Answer 28

Strong beliefs and moral consensus = less deviance.

Question 29

Self-fulfilling prophecy:

Answer 29

The internalisation of a deviant label applied.

Question 30

Differential association theory:

Symbolic interactionist

Answer 30

Individuals are not inherently deviant, rather they learn to become deviant.

Question 31

Neutralisation theory:

Symbolic Interactionist

Answer 31

Deviant individuals efforts to justify and avoid ownership of their behaviour, five parts: denial of responsibility, injury and victim, condemnation of the condemners and appealing to higher loyalties.