DEVIANCE

What is Deviance?
• Devianceis the recognized violation of cultural
norms (Macionis, 2003)

• It is a broad concept encompassing a wide range of

acts of nonconformity from outrageous hairstyles,
picking one’s nose in public to murder.
One familiar type of deviance is
CRIME.
Positive and Negative
Deviance
 Negative Deviance
• Involvesbehavior that fails to meet accepted
norms (Shepard and Greene, 2001).

• Occurs when people either rejected the norms,

misinterpret the norms, or are unaware of the
norms.
 The Relativity of
Deviance
• The determination of which behavior or characteristics
is deviant and which is normal is complex (Newman,
2000).

• Howard Becker (1966 in Henslin, 2001) wrote that it is

not the act itself, but rather the reactions to the act that
makes something deviant.
 Audience Relativity
• Deviance is socially created by collective
human judgments and ideas. The judgment of
what is good or bad, normal or deviant
depends on the observer who witnesses and
evaluates the act.
• Like
beauty, deviance is in the eye of the
beholder (Newman 2000)
• Deviance is relative to particular cultural
standards.
 Actor Relativity

•Evaluation of behavior by an audience

can be altered depending on who is
doing the act.
 Situational Relativity

•Immediatesituational circumstances
can also influence definitions of
deviance.
The Elements of Deviance

1.Behavioral expectation
– a norm that defines
appropriate, acceptable
behavior, ideas or characteristics
 2. Violation – Deviance implies some
violation or normative expectations,
whether these violations are real or
alleged.
3. Reaction – an individual, group or
society must react to deviance; may be
in the form of avoidance, criticism,
warnings, punishment, or treatment.
 Social Control

•The set of means of ensuring that

people generally behave in
expected and approved ways
 Two Types of Social
Control

1. Internal
2. External
 Internal Social Control

- Lies within the individual

that developed during the
socialization process
External Social Control
- Is based on social sanctions, or the
system of rewards and punishments
designed to encourage desired
behavior.
 Positive sanction:
(used to promote conformity)
*awards, smiles of approval, high grades

Negative sanction:
(intended to stop socially unacceptable
behavior)
*criticism, imprisonment or failing grades
Examples of informal sanction:
*smiles of approval
*criticisms

Examples of formal sanction:

*awards
*failing grades
 Explanations of Deviance
Biological Explanations
In the 19th century, assumptions that
human behavior is determined and human
beings lack free will became popular.
Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)
Explained that certain people are born
criminals. In 1876, he described criminals
as having low foreheads, prominent jaws
and cheekbones, big ears, lots of body hair
and unusually long arms.
However, Charles Goring later contested
Lombroso’s claims.
William Sheldon (middle of 20th century)
 Psychological Explanations
Psychologist focused on the personality of
the individuals in explaining deviance.
They viewed deviance as a result of
unsuccessful socialization, leading to some
personality disorders. Sigmund Freud
argued that most people learn in the
process of growing up how to inhibit or
productively channel their innate drives
toward pleasure and aggression (Calhoun
et al., 1994)
 Societal Explanations
Sociologists explain deviance as a result of
societal processes and structure rather
than individual anatomies or psychologies.
 Functionalism and Deviance
Functionalism looks at the negative and
positive consequences of deviance in the
society. This perspective also forms the
basis of two important theories of
deviance: structural strain theory and
control theory.
 Emile Durkheim (1901 in
Ferrante, 1995)
Deviance is functional for the society for at
least two reasons.
1. The ritual of punishment (exposing the
wrongdoing, determining a punishment,
and carrying it out) is an emotional
experience that binds members of the
group together and establishes a sense of
community.
2. Deviance is functional because it is useful
in making necessary changes and in
preparing people for change.
Durkheim declared (1964 in Henslin, 2003)
that today’s deviance could become
tomorrow’s morality.
Durkheim also introduced the concept of
“anomie”, which is the societal condition
in which norms are weak, conflicting, or
absent (Shephard and Greene, 2001), which
became the basis for another important
theory of deviance – structural strain
theory.
 Strain Theory
Developed by Robert Merton, explains that deviance is
more likely to occur when there is a gap between
societal goals and the ability to achieve these goals
through legitimate means.
When people accept goal and follow the legitimate
means of achieving them is called “conformity”.
 Deviant adaptations

1. Innovation
2. Ritualism
3. Retreatism
4. Rebellion
 Innovation

Occurs when people remain committed to

the goal but reject legitimate methods.
Leads to activities, such as theft, burglary
and embezzlement, drug dealing, illegal
gambling and prostitution, which offer
means of economic advancement when
conventional means are unavailable.
 Ritualism

Happens when person rejects the goal of

economic success yet continue to work hard
as the appropriate aim was to succeed.
 Retreatism
Are those who reject and withdraw from
both the goals and means of the society
Retreatists are referred to as “dropouts” of
the society
 Rebellion
People who respond to strain by changing
the goals set by the society and offer
alternative means of achieving the new
goals
 Table 4.1 Merton’s Strain Theory
Strain Adaptation Cultural Goal Legitimate
Means
Absent Conformity Accept Accept
Present Innovation Accept Accept
Ritualism Reject Reject
Retreatism Reject Reject
Rebellion Reject/ Reject/
Substitute Substitute
 Control Theory
• Thistheory of Travis Hirchi explains that
conformity to social norms depends on the
presence of strong bonds between individuals
and society.
Basic components of social
bonds
1. Attachment
2. Commitment
3. Involvement
4. Belief
 Attachment
Refers to the ties of the individual to their
families, friends and institutions such as
schools and churches.
The stronger the attachment of the
individuals with these groups, the less
likely they would engage in deviant
behavior.
 Commitment

Means embracing conventional activities,

and the more committed the individuals to
mainstream values and goals, they are less
likely to become deviant.
 Involvement
Refers to the expenditure of time and
energy to conventional behavior.
The more time and energy expended on
nondeviant activities, the less likely an
individual will be engage in rule-violating
behavior (Bryjack and Soroka, 1997).
 Belief
In commonly held values bonds the
individuals to the rules of the larger
society and reinforces the legitimacy of
the society.
Social Conflict and Deviance
Conflict theorists explain deviance as a
result of power differentials and social
inequalities.
Diverse groups, with varying degrees of
social, economic and political power,
compete to have their interests and values
protected and preserved in law.
The powerless often carry the stigma of deviance.

Social conflict theorists explain this

pattern in three ways.
First, in any society, the norms and the
laws generally reflect the interests of the
wealthy and the powerful
Second, even if the behaviors of the powerful
are called into question, they have the
resources to resist the deviant label.

Last, norms and laws are often believed to

be natural and good, thus, hide their
political character.
 Symbolic Interactionism
and Deviance
*Explains how people define deviance in
everyday situations.
One explanation of the deviance under this
perspective is the differential association
theory.
According to Edwin Sutherland, deviance is
transmitted through socialization the same
way as nondeviant behavior is learned.

Deviance is learned through primary

groups, which the individual associates
with.
Learning of Deviance depends on three
things:
1. The ratio of deviant to nondeviant
individuals – A person who knows more
deviants than nondeviants is more likely to
learn deviant behavior.
2. Whether the deviant behavior is practiced
by significant others – A person is more likely
to value and copy behaviors of significant
other than of a person not close to her or him.
3. The age of exposure – The younger the
individual is exposed to the deviant
behavior, the more quickly he or she learns
and adapts the behavior.
 Labeling Theory
*Makes us understand why deviance is
relative.
This theory focuses on the social definition
of behaviors, that is deviance occurs when
individuals or groups define others as
deviants.
According to Edwin Lemert (1972 in
Shepard and Greene, 2001), labeling is a
two-step process.
First, the individual engages in isolated
acts of deviance (primary deviance)
Secondary Deviance, when deviance
becomes a lifestyle and a personal identity
Secondary deviance marks the start of
what Erving Goffman (1963 in Macionis,
2003) calls a deviant career.

Stigma – a powerfully negative label that

greatly changes a person’s self-concept
and social identity.
Thank you for listening!!!! 