Unit 7
DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL
Deviance – behavior that
differs from social norms.
 Not all people agree on social norms,
therefore not all people agree what types of
behavior should be considered deviant.
Thinking about deviant
behavior
Think about behaviors that your parents might
have thought to be deviant when they were
younger. Would these behaviors be found to
be deviant today…why or why not?
Can you think of any behaviors that were not
considered to be deviant in the past, but are
considered to be deviant today?
Types of deviance
 Negative Deviance – behavior that goes
against social norms
 Obesity, littering, ect
 Many different levels of deviance
 Positive Deviance – behavior that over
accentuates social norms.
 Anorexia, bolemia,
 Deviant – a person who breaks social norms.
Social Control – Ways to
encourage conformity to
society’s norms.
 Internal control – you don’t do something
because you know that it is wrong.
 External control – you don’t do something
because of social sanctions.
 Social Sanctions – reward or punishment that
encourage conformity to social norms.
Effects of Deviance on Society
Negative Effects
Positive Effects
 Weakens trust
 Clarifies norms and
 Causes others to become
enforces social values
 Small acts of deviance
often prevent larger acts
from occuring
deviant
 Parents to kids
 Leaders to followers
 Expensive to society
Strain Theory
Theory that deviance is more likely to occur when a
gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to
achieve these goals by legitimate means.
For example: Success and materials goods are the
goal for most Americans. Most people (both
wealthy and poor) work hard to reach this goal.
Some who don’t want to work hard can reach this
goal by other means, such as stealing, embezzeling
money, or cheating. Because they are not able to
meet their goal using accepted means, they are
deviant.
Most people conform to social norms.
Responses to deviant
behavior in strain theory.
 Innovation – when a person accepts the social
norm, but uses illegal means to achieve it.
 Ritualism – a person rejects the social goal, but
continues using legitimate means because of
habit.
 Retreatism – people who reject the social goal
and the legitimate means of achieving it. They
have “checked out” of society.
 Rebellion – Reject the goal and means of
achieving it, but replace the social goal with a
goal of their own.
Think about a time in your
life when you have practiced
on of these responses.
 Reflection or discussion
Control Theory
Social bonds control the behavior of people, thus
preventing deviant acts. The conformity to social
norms depends on an individuals bond to society.
People with strong bonds to society often follow
social norms, but those who have weak bonds don’t.
Example: A student who does not participate in
school activities would not follow the social
expectations that would be valued by those who
did.
Elements that form social
bonds
 Attachment – The more attached you are to a
person or group, the more likely you will be to
conform to their norms.
 Commitment – The more committed you are
to a goal, the more likely you are to conform
to it.
 Involvement – Participation in an activity
encourages you to conform.
 Belief– Belief in a norm or value promotes
conformity.
Read the article on pg 213
on teen smoking.
 Questions
 Discussion
 Writing reflection
Differential Association Theory
This theory states that individuals learn deviant
behavior in proportion to the number of deviant acts
that they are exposed to. Basically, deviant
behavior is taught and learned.
Example:
A person who knows mostly deviant people is likely
to become a deviant as well.
A person who has a strong connection to a deviant
person will be more likely to become deviant than a
person who has a strong connection to a nondeviant person.
The younger you are exposed to deviant behavior,
the more likely you will be to become a deviant.
Do you believe this?
why not?
Why or
 If this was true? Would it support the theory
that violent videos games, song lyrics, and
movies increase deviant behavior? Discuss or
reflect on this.
Labeling Theory
This theory states that society creates deviant
people by labeling non-deviant people as being
deviant. In short… if we are told that we are bad, we
are more likely to become bad.
In this theory deviance is not always the act, but the
application of social rules that creates deviance.
Example: People who are called stupid start to
believe that they are, so they will study less
(believing that they can’t learn) and will earn failing
grades. These grades will then further their belief
that they are “less intelligent” than their peers.
You are a…
 Witch or the other word…
 Loser
 Slut
 What happens to people when you give them
these labels?
 They do everything they can to prove you wrong
 They start acting that way
 Creates a stigma – trait used to characterize a
person.
Can you think of a time
when…
Primary v. Secondary
Deviance
Primary Deviance
Secondary Deviance
 Occasionally breaking
 Individuals life and identity
social norms
 The breaking of norms are
not part of the persons
lifestyle
 These people do not
consider themselves
“deviant” because of a
single or few offenses
begin to revolve around
breaking the norms of
society.
 These people become
criminals
 They sometimes don’t
believe what they are
doing is wrong, or they just
don’t care.
 Bonnie and Clyde
Can Primary Deviance grow
into Secondary Deviance?
Conflict Theory
This theory originates from the idea that people
who have “control” or power often come in conflict
with those who do not. This causes one or both
sides to turn to deviance as a means of achieving
what they want or keeping what they have.
Example: Do the wealthy or poor make the laws?
Do those laws often reflect the needs or wants of
the other group? Does this cause conflict between
these groups? Does that conflict lead to crime?
Race, Ethnicity, Social
Status and Crime
 Conflict theorists point out that minority
groups make up the overwhelming majority
of criminals on death row.
 Though unequal, African Americans are more
likely to get the death penalty for murdering a
white person that a white person is for murdering
an African American.
 Low incomes prevent many offenders from getting
good representation.
 Victim Discounting – reducing the
seriousness of a crime when it is against
people of a “lower status.”
White collar crime
 White collar crime – Job related crime
committed by high status people.
 Costs taxpayers billions of dollars / year but have a
incarceration rate of less than 40%.
 These violators have more means to get better
attorney’s.
 Society doesn’t think these crimes are as serious
as other types of crime.