Social Deviance (SOC 206)
Fall 2010 8:30-9:45 T/TH
Instructor: Lisa Tichavsky
Office Phone: 513-0290
Office: 1911 Bldg., Room 327
Office Hours: Thurs. 9:45 AM - 12:00 PM and by appointment
E-mail: lptichav@ncsu.edu
Required Text:
Goode, Erich. 2008. Deviant Behavior Eighth ed., Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Other Selected Readings -Available on the Moodle course page – login at
http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu/
Each week, there will be a file folder in the Moodle block with additional readings for that week.
Reading the assigned material prior to the date it is scheduled to be discussed IS MANDATORY. This
class is discussion based; BE PREPARED to discuss the readings in class. Being unprepared to discuss the
readings in class will lower your attendance and participation grade.
Description of Course
This course will focus on the individual and societal factors that influence the assessment of behavior
as deviant or normative as well as various theories regarding the cause, or social origins of deviant
behavior. Core sociological concepts, (particularly those related to race, income, and gender), as well as
the way society is organized and maintained will guide our discussions of deviance. Additionally, this
course offers a brief introduction to sociological research methods, data collection, and reference
organization. Utilizing the theories, concepts, and methodology gained in this course, you will develop
the necessary tools to critically evaluate forms of deviance and reactions to deviance in modern society.
Course Objectives
 Students will learn to move from learning facts to making critically reasoned judgments grounded in
the academic content of the course.
 Students will learn how to develop an empirically based argument on the causes of delinquency and
apply empirical evidence and deviance theory to find solutions for modern delinquency problems.
 Students will learn basic qualitative and quantitative research skills.
Course Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, you will be able to
 Demonstrate the ability to use library resources, available data, and deviance theory to analyze a
current form of delinquency and design a theory-based prevention program for juvenile delinquency.
 Utilize functionalist theory to describe how society norms change and apply the process to a modern
and past form of deviance.
 Compare and contrast multiple deviance theories as they apply to current forms of deviant behavior.
 Distinguish between empirical evidence, theory, and opinion.
 Describe social processes in which deviance is defined, ordered, and regulated.
 Use qualitative research methods to analyze how norms are reinforced.
Course Requirements:
Midterm Exam (25%)
Final Exam (25%)
1
The type of questions on the midterm and final exams will vary, but typically include some
combination of multiple-choice, matching, true/false, fill-in, or short answer. Both exams may include
a short essay question.
Research Team Presentation (10%): You will be a member of a 3 person research team conducting
research on one type of juvenile crime. Using concepts from deviance theory, your research team will
create a program which might prevent juveniles from engaging in criminal behavior. Your team will
present your findings and suggested program to the class. More details will be provided later in the
semester.
Writing Assignments (20 %):
Field Experiment: You and a partner will perform either a negative or positive act which violates some
small norm or folkway (BUT DOES NOT VIOLATE ANY LAW OR SCHOOL POLICY) and record reactions from
others. After comparing notes with your partner, you will go online and answer questions concerning
what you did, the reactions you received (and why), and how reactions to the positive form of deviance
differed from the reactions to the negative act of deviance. More information will be provided later in
the semester.
Social Processes: Short essay answers applying readings and concepts regarding the processes of
normative change to the film Pleasantville.
Online assignments (10 %): There will be 6-8 small, online tasks or quizzes throughout the semester.
The online tasks may include your personal reaction to a discussion from class, a 3-10 question, open
book quiz, your description of what your norm violation will be, posting an example of deviance on a
Moodle discussion board (etc.). The online tasks are designed to take less than 10 minutes. More
information regarding homework assignments will be given when they are assigned. You will
generally have a week to complete online tasks.
Attendance and Participation (10%): University policy requires attendance to be taken in 200 level
courses. The attendance and participation grade is based on being present and on time, participation in
class discussions and online posts, preparation for class, and attention. Students will not receive
attendance points for any unexcused absence (see Attendance Policy below), and attendance points
cannot be made-up. Good attendance can make the difference for students bordering between one
grade level and the next higher level.
Grade scale (following University policy)
A+ : 97-100
A : 93-96
A- : 90-92
B+ : 87-89
B : 83-86
B- : 80-82
C+ : 77-79
C : 73-76
C- : 70-72
D+ : 67-69
D : 63-66
D- : 60-62
F: 0-59
“S” = C- or above
“U”= D or below
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is REQUIRED, and will be recorded each class period (even when not counted for the
attendance grade). Class periods are designed to go beyond the material in the textbook, with new
material offered only during class-time. If you miss a class, it is YOUR responsibility to find out what
you missed. Exams will cover material from the text as well as what is discussed in class. Absences due
to illness, family emergency, university business or similar situations may be excused with appropriate
2
supporting documentation (e.g. medical release form, funeral program, official NCSU correspondence,
official court document, etc.). Failure to provide adequate documentation will result in an unexcused
absence. Unexcused absences will affect the student’s final grade, and students with excessive absences
may be dropped from the course.
Students with Disabilities:
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take
advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at
1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653. The Department of Sociology and
Anthropology is working to build a community that is inclusive and welcoming to all people,
including those with disabilities. A student desiring accommodations for a documented disability
should visit: http://www. ncsu.edu/equal_op/. If you have a disability, please inform me at the
beginning of the semester.
Harassment:
The role of all employees and students is to create and maintain a supportive and harassment-free
working and learning environment for all members of the campus community. All faculty, staff and
students are responsible for understanding and complying with harassment policies; these policies can
be viewed at: http://www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/.
By its very nature, “deviance” is controversial. Studying deviance will necessitate discussions on
topics such as sexual orientation, sexism, racism, classism, religion, politics, as well as physical and
sexual deviance. Discussions are for the purpose of critiquing various theories and examining the ways
that deviance is defined, ordered, and regulated. It is not a forum for condemning or endorsing
individuals’ behaviors or belief systems. Students should be aware that, for any given topic, multiple
perspectives will be discussed and that some perspectives will differ from your own personal beliefs. A
respectful expression of an opinion that is different from your own should not be viewed as an attack
on you as a person. However, if at any time another student causes you to feel threatened or uneasy,
please bring it to my attention immediately.
Academic Integrity:
Cheating will not be tolerated at any level. This includes but is not limited to copying others’ answers
on tests, plagiarism, and any unauthorized assistance with homework assignments or papers. No
excuses will be accepted. Work you complete is to be uniquely your own, or that of you and your
partner(s) when instructed. Non-participation in group projects is a form of cheating if a grade is
accepted by a student who did not contribute to the finished work. Any work that is, in part or in full,
inadequately cited, copied from another student, a book, or the Internet will receive a ZERO. Further, I
maintain the right to report students to student conduct and/or fail them in the class. Also, refer to the
NCSU Code of Student Conduct for the University’s policy.
Tentative Schedule
Please refer to the tentative schedule on the following page for reading assignments, due dates, and the
general order we will cover topics in the class. Changes may become necessary to this schedule as
some topics will require more or less time, depending on how quickly the class becomes comfortable
with the material. I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule as the need arises.
3
“Society waits unformed and is between things ended and things begun.” (Walt Whitman)
Week Day Date
Topic
Week 1 TH Aug 19th Course Introduction
T Aug 24th Examining normative and
Week 2
TH Aug 26th deviant behavior
Week 3
T Aug 31st
Positive & Cognitive Deviance
TH Sep 2nd
Week 4
T Sep 7th
Positivist Deviance Theories
TH Sep 9th
T Sep 14th
Week 5
Week 6
TH Sep 16th
T Sep 21st
TH Sep 23rd
Constructionist Theories
Social processes and Change:
Functionalist Contributions of
Durkheim & Erikson
Readings/Films
Syllabus/Human bingo
Goode - Chapter 1 (pp. 2-21)
Goode Chapter 2 (pp. 23-41)
Heckert & Heckert 2004; Heckert
1998
Goode Chapter 11 (pp. 269-293)
Goode Chapter 3 (pp. 42-64); (4)
Theory articles on Moodle
Wrap-up theories
Theory debate (in class)
Goode Chapter 4 (pp. 66-94); (1)
Article on Moodle
(3) Articles on Moodle
(Durkheim; Erikson; TBA)
Film: Pleasantville
Introduction to Research
T Sep 28th
Goode Chapter 5 (pp. 101-125)
Methods
Week 7
TH Sep 30th Methods (cont.) & Midterm review
Meet in our classroom at our
T Oct 5th Midterm
Week 8
regular time.
TH Oct 7th FALL BREAK - (No class)
Discuss midterm & Research
T Oct 12th
Meet in computer lab (TBA)
Team Project - Select Teams
Week 9
Deviant Identities
(2) Articles on Moodle (Sykes &
TH Oct 14th
Matza; Scully & Marolla);
Week 10
T Oct 19th Criminal Deviance
TH
T
Week 11
TH
T
Week 12
TH
Week 13
Oct 21st
Oct 26th
Oct 28th
Nov 2nd
Nov 4th
T Nov 9th
Sexual Deviance
TH Nov 11th
T Nov 16th
Week 14
TH Nov 18th
Week 15
Criminal Violence
Organizational Deviance
Physical Deviance
Control of Deviance; Race, Sex,
and Class
Goode Chapter 6 (pp. 126-148)
Deviance post and reply due
Field experiment assigned
Field Experiment approval due on TH, the 9th
In class exercise; Theory application quiz assigned
Three Sociological Perspectives quiz opens
Durkheim/Erikson writing assignment assigned
Theory application quiz due
Field Experiment Due -online
DUE: At start of class: Durkheim/Erikson writing assignment;
In class exercises - Finding/collecting data & articles, using
Endnote; Research Team Project Assigned
In class exercise (Note: University deadline to drop is Oct. 15th)
Durkheim/Erikson writing assignments returned
Goode Chapter 7 (pp. 149-173)
Goode Chapter 9 (pp. 212-237)
Goode Chapter 13 (pp. 326-353)
(4) Articles on Moodle (Chambliss;
Driving while black data analysis module
Anderson; Chesney-Lind; TBA)
Goode Chapter 10 (pp. 238-268)
TBA
Influence of Media on
Normative Behavior & Beliefs
T Nov 23rd Online Class: We will not meet
Movies (in class)
TBA
Goode, pp. 174-180 (Complete
online drug quiz)
TH Nov 25th Happy Thanksgiving! (No Class)
T Nov 29th Presentations
No new readings
Week 16
TH Dec 1st Presentations and final review No new readings
FINAL TH Dec 9th
Assignments/Due Dates
Syllabus Quiz and Self-Introduction post assigned
Deviance post and reply assigned
Syllabus quiz and self-introduction post due
DUE: Online by 11PM: Three Sociological Perspectives quiz;
Online drug quiz available
Complete online drug quiz
Online drug quiz due
Presentations due MONDAY Nov 28th (Midnight)
Final Examination 8-11
AM
4