CHAPTER 8: Deviance and Social Control (Schaeffer)
What is deviance?
"WHEN IN ROME, DO AS ROMANS DO!"
WHO IS A DEVIANT? IN THIS CHAPTER WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN CONFORMITY, OBEDIENCE, DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL.
DEFINITIONS:
1. From chapter 3 in our study of culture, we saw that every culture
subculture and grew has its own distinctive norms governing what it deems
appropriate behavior. Social control refers to the techniques and
strategies for preventing deviant human behavior in any society.
A) NORMATIVE SYSTEM
B) LAW
EXAMPLES INCLUDE SPEED LIMITS, DRESS CODES,
SEATING CHARTS, BOUNCERS
2. SANCTIONS: PENALTIES FOR REWARDS FOR CONDUCT
CONFORMING TO OR STRAYING FROM A SOCIAL NORM
EXAMPLES:
A) ALCOHOL AT PARTIES (CAN
BE "SANCTIONED," IE, ALLOWED
B) OR IMPOSE SANCTIONS:
1) NO PAY RAISE FOR SCREWY PROFS
2) CHEATING INVOKES RESPONSE
3. CONFORMITY: "GOING ALONG," "FOLLOWING," ETC:
See: ASCH'S STUDY OF CARDS WITH LINES.
4. OBEDIENCE: COMPLIANCE WITH HIGHER AUTHORITY IN A
HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE: STANLEY MILGRAM.
5. INFORMAL/FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL:
A) INFORMAL---"NON-OFFICIAL" SANCTIONS
B) FORMAL--FORMAL SANCTIONS--LAW, SCHOOL POLICIES
6. DEVIANCE: "BEHAVIOR THAT VIOLATES THE STANDARDS OR
CONDUCT OR EXPECTATIONS OF A GROUP OR SOCIETY
A) LATE FOR OR TALKING IN CLASS
B) WEARING CUT-OFFS TO A WEDDING
7. in formal and informal social control: FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL is
carried out by authorized agents such as police officers physicians school
administrators employers and military officers. 50 and serve as a last
resort when socialization and informal sanctions cannot bring about
desired behavior. The ultimate form of social control in the United
States is to put people in prison. Today we have over 2,000,000 people in
prison in jails, and nearly 6 million under some form of correctional
supervision.
POINT FOR SOCIOLOGY IS HOW DO WE EXPLAIN IT?
A) WHY DO WE NEED TO
B) WHAT DO WE OBTAIN WHEN WE DO?
A.FUNCTIONALISM:
A) ANOMIE
B) BOUNDARY MAINTENANCE
C) IS "FUNCTIONAL" OR "NORMAL"
B.CULTURAL TRANSMISSION THEORY:
A) SUTHERLAND/CRIME-DELINQUENCY
B) LEARNING THEORY
C) DEPENDS (AS INDEPENDENT VARIABLES) ON
1) FREQUENCY 2)DURATION 3) PROXIMITY 4) IMPORTANCE
C. LABELLING THEORY:
D. NEUTRALIZATION THEORY (MATZA & SYKES): "DEVIANTS
(DELINQUENTS) DON'T HAVE DIFFERNT VALUES--JUST LIKE US
BUT IT'S EXPRESSED DIFFERENTLY.
STRATEGIES OF NEUTRALIZATION
1) DENYING RESPONSIBILITY
2) DENYING INJURY
3) BLAMING THE VICTIM
4) CONDEMNING THE AUTHORITIES
5) APPEALING TO HIGHER LOYALTY
E. CONFLICT THEORY: LAWS USED TO SUPPRESS ONE GROUP BY
OF ANOTHER---DOESN'TFOCUS ON "CAUSE" OF CRIME SO MUCH AS ON
GENESIS OF DEFINITIONS OF BEHAVIORAS A POWER CONFLICT
AND COMPETING DEFINITIONS OF APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
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