Deviance & Social Control
Chapter 7
Deviance
• Behavior that departs from societal or group
norms
• Can be positive or negative
• Most reserve term deviance for violations of
significant social norms
• Deviant – person who has acted in violation of
one or more of society’s most highly valued
norms.
Social Control
• Promotes social stability thru conformity to
norms
• Internal – individual decides to follow norms
or not to violate norms because he or she has
internalized them
• External – imposed by the group on
individuals through use of positive sanctions
or negative sanctions
• Shaped by those in power
Functions of Deviance
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Clarify norms
Unify a group
Diffuse tension
Promote social change
Provide jobs
Strain Theory
• Anomie – social condition in which norms are
weak, conflicting or absent
• Deviance occurs when there’s a gap between
culturally desirable goals and way to obtain
them
• When people accept the goal & means to
achieve it – they conform
Deviant Responses to Strain
1. Innovation – accepts goal but uses illegal
means to achieve it
2. Ritualism – individual rejects goal but
continues to use the legitimate means
3. Retreatism – both legitimate means &
approved goals are rejected
4. Rebellion – reject both the goal & the
approved means for achieving it – but
substitute a new set of goals & means
Control Theory
• Conformity depends on the presence of strong
bonds between individual & society
• 4 Components of social bonds
1.
2.
3.
4.
Attachment
Commitment
Involvement
Belief
Differential Association Theory
• Based on symbolic interactionism
• Deviance is learned from primary groups
• Based on 3 factors
– Ratio of deviant to nondeviant individuals
– Significance of deviant person
– Age of exposure
Labeling Theory
• Explains why deviance is
relative
• Primary deviance – isolated
deviant acts
• Secondary deviance –
deviance is a lifestyle
– Use social stigmas
(undesirable label by others
used to deny the deviant full
social acceptance
Discussion Topic:
• There is a body of evidence that suggests
religious people are less inclined to commit
deviant acts. The strong social bonds of religious
affiliation serve to control behavior.
• Do you believe there is a link between religious
affiliation and social behavior?
• With a growing number of atheists – do you think
deviant behavior will increase? If so, can anything
prevent that from happening?