DEVIANCE & SOCIAL CONTROL DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL Social norms: standards or expectations of appropriate behavior for members of a given culture or subculture Deviance is a violation of social norms DEVIANCE INVOLVES THE VIOLATION OF GROUP NORMS, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE FORMALIZED INTO LAW Deviance includes not only criminal behavior but also many actions not subject to prosecution Standards of deviance vary from one group (or subculture) to another, and change over time THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON DEVIANCE Structural theories (aka Functionalist perspective, pp. 175 176) emphasize the relationship of deviance to certain structural conditions within a society focus on epidemiology, or the distribution of deviance in time and place are considered general theories e.g., Anomie theory and conflict theories Process theories (aka Interactionist perspective) describe the processes by which individuals come to commit deviant acts focus on etiology, or the origins and development of deviance E.g., Labeling theory, control theory, and learning or socialization theories SOCIAL CONTROL Social control refers to the techniques and strategies for preventing deviant human behavior Operate on both group level and societal level Conformity: going along with peers, or individuals of our own status Obedience: compliance with higher authorities INFORMAL AND FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL Informal: gossip, gestures, physical methods (e.g., corporal punishment) Formal: carried out by authorized agents such as police of ficers physicians, school administrators, employers, military of ficers, etc. CONTROL THEORY Explains why we do not behave in deviant ways When we feel a part of, or bonded with, society, the more our behavior is controlled, preventing deviance, e.g., Attachments Commitments Involvements Beliefs PATCHWORK NATION’S T YPES BREAKDOWN AS FOLLOWS Democratic coalition counties Industrial Metropolis (Philadelphia, PA) College and Careers (Johnson County, IA) Monied Burbs (Fairfax County, VA) Competitive counties Minority Central (Wilson, NC) Immigration Nation (Maricopa, AZ) Military Bastions (Norfolk, VA) Service Worker Stations (Richland, OH) Republican coalition counties Empty Nests (Lake, FL) Boom Towns (Clark, NV) Evangelical Epicenters (Christian, MO) Tractor Country (Sioux, IA) Mormon Outposts (Cassia, ID)