Deviance- Behavior that violates significant social norms.
The Social Functions of Deviance (5)
Clarifying Norms- When rules are broken and guilty parties are caught members of the society are
Reminded of the norms that guide social life. It serves to define the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
Unifying the Group- Deviance serves to draw the line between conforming members of society and
“outsiders”. This us against them attitude reinforces the sense of community and the belief in shared
values.
Diffusing Tension- When people are unhappy with their lives or social conditions, they may want to
strike out at society. These acts allowed individuals to relieve tension without disrupting the basic fabric
of society.
Promoting Social Change- Deviance can help prompt social change by identifying problem areas. When
large numbers of people violate a norm , it is often an indication that something in society needs to be
changed.
Providing Jobs- offenders provide all sorts of legitimate jobs for a wide range of people
A. Judges, Police and Prison Uniform Makers
B.
C. Providing jobs Example: Workers at clothing manufactures might make prison uniforms as well
as other types of clothes.
D. Promoting Social Change: When someone is dealing with a problem they try to solve to make
things better.
E. Diffusing Tension Example : Participating in unauthorized demonstrations allows people to
express political or social discontent without destroying the social order.
F. Clarifying Norms : Person might choose to not commit deviant acts if they are aware of how
serve the consequences of those acts will be.
G. Ex. Picture of Unifying the group : there working as a group
Perspectives of Deviance
Functionalist View
1. What is the strain theory? It is where you views deviance as the natural outgrowth of the values
, norms , and structure of society.
A. How do individuals respond to culturally approved goals and the legitimate means of
achieving them? Individuals may be prevented from finding a job because of social
conditions or because they lack an adequate education. They are expected to meet this goal
, and society judges them according to how well they do so.
Conflict View
1. What is the conflict view?
2. Answer - They believe that competition and social inequality lead to deviance.
A. Who decides what is deviant? Why is the lower class most affected?
B. The ruling classes because they have the most power. Lower classes are affected because
they are often forced to commit acts defined as deviant. To protect their power the ruling
classes then establish ideologies belief systems that explain deviance as a problem found
primarily among the lower classes.
Interactionist View
1. List and briefly explain the three Interactionist theories.
2. Control theory explains deviance as a natural occurrence. Cultural transmission theory
It explains deviance as a learned behavior. Labeling theory focuses on how individuals come to be
identified as deviant.
A. Why do people conform to norms?
If a person associations are primarily with individuals who conform to society’s norms , that
person is most likely to conform.
B. How do people learn conformity or deviance?
People become deviant behavior occurs in primary groups. People become
Deviants or conformist in the same way that they become fluent in a particular
Language.
C. Where does this learning mainly occur? They learned through the process of social
interaction acts as a block on the controls the discourage deviant behavior.
D. How do people become identified as deviant? In some kind of public setting such as a trail
the individual is denounced , found guilty , and given the new identity of deviant.