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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