Chapter 1: Terms

Deviance: A behavior, belief, or condition/characteristic that departs from the norm. can

be active or passive (homosexuals, bisexuals is deviant, heterosexuals is the norm).

Power: the ability to make changes by virtue of control over political, economic, or social
resources. Make people do what they dont want to do. (ex. absolutist).
Norms: rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members.
Formal and informal, some verbal some not, depends on the situation.
Reactivist Definiton: deviance is defined by others reactions to the behavior/condition.
Labeling.
Folkways: Societys custom of routine, casual interaction; had little or no reaction.
Mores: Stronger set of rules that control most serious actions (PDA in church, cutting in
traffic).
Subculture: values and beliefs of a group only slightly oppose those of the larger society.
It provides social support for members, enhances self-esteem by suggesting rationales for
their conditions, offers practical suggestions for independent survival, help their members
meet demands of larger society. (hippies before).
Sanctions: formal deviance results in legal sanctions, such as fines or prison, while
informal deviance results in social sanctions or stigma.
Laws: rules formally recognized as binding; enforced by authority. Usually spring from
norms . tendency towards secularization toward more rational punishment as societies
matures and more norms became laws.
Counterculture: values and beliefs of group strongly oppose those of the larger society
(hippies now)
Statistical Definition: what most people do is what the norm is, or the correct way to act.
Why all the crime is deviant is applying the level deviant to those who never participated in
certain behaviors.
Crime: crime refers to behavior that is likely illegal. All deviance is not criminal (bondage,
extreme body modification), all crime is not deviant (speeding 5 to 10 is not deviant, but
going 50 is criminal). Examples of both deviant and criminal: murder, robbery, arson,
aggravated assault, motor theft.
One precenters: minority. The ones who have less followers, or have less people in their
ethnicity, group, country etc.. are the ones who are deviant, are one precenters.
Absolutist :assumes everyone knows how to act according to universally held values that
had been previously defined, but are values those of elitist segment only, to have more
control.
The Contradiction of Deviance and Why: there is no consensus about what or who is
deviant. There is no conscience about deviance. Four dimensions of deviance: what is it,
how to define it, which causes explain it, and what social groups can and should do to
reduce it. We see the world thru cultural lens, using our experiences, not just thru our own
eyes. Even moral judgment are not reflections of an individual alone, but of groups to
which the individual belongs.
Moral Panics: intense feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to
threatedn social order. John walsh, war on drugs. Their own ideas, get kids vaccine, eye of
the beholder.
Scientific Method: useful for expanding empirical theories. Formulate hypothesis,
perform studies, and modify empirical theory. It is manly suitable for measuring narrow
propositions, not clear if findings can be generalized.

Relativist: there are no universal or unchanging entities that define deviance for all times
and in all places; deviance is in the eye of the beholders.
Roles: instructions we absorb about the ways to fit into a given group or setting, this puts
considerable limits on behavior. Rupturing role expectations other have of us may
constitute deviance but it is possible that given time the new behavior may be considered
a new deviant role.
Moral Enterpreneurs: make careers out of altering society to social problems, including
ones involving deviance. They point out important social problems and make sure society
focuses on them. John Walsh , the war or drugs.
Social Contract: individuals have consented, either explicitly or implicitly, to surrender
some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate in exchange
from protection of their remaining rights.
Verstehen: Interpretative sociology is the study of society that concentrates on the
meaning people associate to theirs social world. Interpretative sociology strives to show
that people themselves construct reality in their daily lives. Putting yourself in the shoes of
others to see things from their perspective. Deals with meaning attached to behavior,
positivist focuses on action. Sees reality as being constructed by people, positivist sees an
objective reality out there. Relies on qualitative date, positivist tends to make use of
quantitative data. Empathetic understanding of what is going on.
Micro-level Analysis: only identify individual, observe people, specific.
Macro-level Analysis: patterns, larger groups, whole societies.
Functionalism Basic Assertion: society is a system of interrelated parts that serve the
entire system. Society is stable and orderly, some aspects exist to promote societys
survival, is consensus of values among citizens. Institutions work together to from a
system. Deviants exist because it serves a purpose for someone. Right in your face.
Conflict Theory Basic Assertion: society is in constant state of struggle with temporary
stable periods, focus in inequality and whose interests are served, struggle b/w exploited
and privileged. Deviance is a struggle more beneficial to people with power to
control/suppress. Powerful maintain status quo.
Symbolic Interactionism Basic Assertion (Micro): society is the sum of all interactions
of all people everyday. Interaction based on mutually understood symbols. Society is that
shared reality that people construct as they interact. Labeling, labels have meanings, step
out of box see how we do things.
Deviance vs. Crime: All deviance is not criminal (bondage, extreme body modification),
all crime is not deviant (speeding 5 to 10 is not deviant, but going 50 is criminal). Examples
of both deviant and criminal: murder, robbery, arson, aggravated assault, motor theft.
Deviance and Power: the powerful may label the powerless as deviant more often than
they label themselves as deviant. May label same behavior in different ways. Prostitutes vs.
escorts, promiscuous vs. liberated, unemployed vs. between jobs.
Normative Definition: deviance is a violating of a norm that results in social disapproval
(social control).

Chapter 2: Terms

Totems: Symbols often evoking an animal. People worship totems.

Taboo: animal or totem that people could not kill or eat it. Deviance occurred in the form
of killing said animal.
Shamans: witch doctors who see that customs are observed.
Mechanical Solidarity: individual, small towns, share the same ideas. Solidarity through
likeness, low division of labor, strong collective consciousness, repressive law. Deviance
unites group.
Organic solidarity: solidarity through difference, high division of labor, weak collective
consciousness, and restitutive law. Complex, industrial societies.
Ethnocentrism: when you think your culture is the appropriate. Can lead to a lot of
labeling with leads to a lot of deviance. Comes with a lot of stereotypes, to continue to
subordinate other people.
Patriarchies: Male oriented society. The ruler was set up to be as a god, along with
members of his family, who became demigods.
Tributary modes of Production: in historical patriarchies state, religion, and state and
the economy fused to become one. Religion reinforced government, which reinforced
economy. They originated around the need to manage irrigation systems,
Theory of vassalage: holds the pyramid of secular power. Which held that those on each
rung of the ladder owed loyalty to those above them.
Secular power: one of two pillars, it is a pyramid, where at the top was the holy roman
emperor. Below him various kings. Below them various nobles of different ranks, extending
all the way down to the knights. At the bottom were agrarian serfs, or common people, who
farmed the land.
Inquisition: the church sent inquisitors to locate heresy and deal with it. Where they did
so, torture and murder followed. It was a tactic of the Roman Catholic Church to fight, what
they considered the sinful emergence of Protestantism.
Oneida Colony: a doctrine requiring group marriage, everyone in theory was married to
everyone else. Young girls were initiated by the founder in special sessions called
interviews. Men practiced birth control by holding back ejaculation; procreation only
happened if it was approved by the board.

Chapter 3: Terms

Classical/deterrence theory: much deviant or criminal behavior occurs for rational

reasons; individuals are rational and can calculate their future behavior rationally
(weighting costs and benefits to make decisions). People have free will
Divine rights of kings: the king and his nobles were thought to be fonts of power who
dispensed justice or injustice according to their personal judgment. A lot of bribery and
corruption.
Certainty/Celerity/Severity: Certainty, the criminal should be fairly certain that
punishment will take place (most likely to deter crime). Celerity, the punishment should
occur relatively soon after the offense or apprehension for the offense. Severity,
punishment should not be excessive, but it should still be sufficient to deter the behavior.
Specific deterrence: is the amount of deterrence required to discourage a given criminal
from committing a crime he or she contemplates. Example, Joe case of drug dealer.
General deterrence: is the idea that the rational considerations that affect another
offender can be generalized over the entire population. Example, Joe punishment can deter
criminals or potential criminals generally.
Incapacitation: making and individuals incapable of committing a crime. Not a great
deterrent effect. In order for it to be effect we would need to incarcerate more people for
longer periods. If one person is incarcerated another one can step up to the job.
Brutalization effect: if offenders see that society punishes them savagely, they may take
their cure from this and in turn, pursue their criminal trades savagely. Excessive
punishment feeds a culture of violence (frequently death penalty). If one group are regards
as likely to behave criminally, and if this perception is reflected in aggressive police
treatment of individuals in ethnic communities, the brutalization is likely to produce both
more criminals and justification for criminal behavior.
Restorative Justice: attempts to end cycles of victimization. Has a goal in reuniting
offenders and victims in supportive communities. Victim offender mediation (to resolve
their differences), Conferencing (community support network for victim and offender are
brought into conference with both parties), Circles (a large community council that affixes
penalties), Victim assistance, Ex-offender assistance, Restitution (the perpetrator is
expected to restore the victim to wholeness if its possible to do so), and Community
service (offender may be required to make restitution to the community at large as well).
Peacemaking Criminology: another way to refer to restorative justice. Its a non-violent
movement against oppression, social injustice and violence. It regards crime as the product
of social structure that puts some groups at a disadvantage, sets people against one
another, and fenerates a desire for revenge. Every act of victimization happens because
the perpetrator was also, at one time a victim. It seeks to help criminals work through their
issues in order to learn to deal with what is causing the deviant behavior.
Stigmatic Shaming: form of shaming, imposed as a sanction by the criminal justice
system, that is thought to destroy the moral bond between offender and the community.
Reintegrative Shaming: deal with crime by publicly shaming offender while at the same
time offering them the necessary support to help them change their ways. It brings the
offender back into society as a law-abiding citizen.

Chapter 4: Terms

Positivism: the use of objective science to study deviance and crime. It is

quantitative/objective. Involves observations and data collection. Aguste Comte = leader,
biological and psychological explanations of deviance.
Phrenology: Early positivists studied facial features and the shape of the criminals heads,
looking for traits indicating criminal behavior. Franz Gall believed bumps in the skull
indicated propensities toward different types of behavior including criminal or deviant
actions. Palmistry stated that the length of someones life was indicated by the length of
his or her life line, the crease down the center of the hand.
Atavism: throwbacks to more primitive people who lived by predation and exploitation.
Lombroso Believed that criminality is the result of primitive urges that survived evolution.
The Jukes: American family were there was higher than average criminality and insanity,
although it has never been convincingly demonstrated that heredity was the sole cause.
Characterized by intermarriage and isolation, studied retrospectively over several
generations.
The Kalikaks: American family were there was higher than average criminality and
insanity, although it has never been convincingly demonstrated that heredity was the sole
cause. Characterized by intermarriage and isolation, studied retrospectively over several
generations. A study in the heredity of feeble-mindedness.
Sheldons Somatypes: Endomorphs were overweight people who were sociable and
accepting in their relations to others. Mesomorphs were muscular and aggressive, more
likely to use personal strength to get what they wanted in relationships. Ectomorphs were
thin and cerebral, they were thinkers and tended not to exploit others if left alone.
Supermale: XYY (multiple Y syndrome). Believed to be super muscular, having greater
than average tendencies towards aggression and exploitation. The incidence of multiple Y
males in prison is slightly greater than in the no prison population. Taller than average,
acne (skin disorders), and less than average intelligence. Overrepresented in prisons,
mental hospitals. Families have lower than average history of crime, mental illness.
Sociobiology: biological and genetic conditions affect how social behaviors are learned
and perceived. People are controlled by the need to have their genetics survive and
dominate others. believe that deviant behavior is coupled to reproduction. Women are
capable of being with a man for his resources and with another secretly because they look
better (more aggressive, better breeding stock). Males try to fertilize as many women as
they can
Id/Ego/Superego: Id, is the initial animal desiring part of the personality. Superego, is part
of the personality that derives from being thwarted and directs in terms norms and social
conduct, its function is to make express the filling of guilt whenever we do something that
it is not correct. Ego, is the rational calculation; obtaining for the id a small portion without
offending the superego.
Oedipus Complex: happens in the phallic stage when the boys desire their mothers;
become aware that mother is taken which leads to castration anxiety b/c they are aware
that some dont have penis and they are afraid their father will take away their genital for
desiring their mother.
Objects-relations Theory: believe that its our relationships that shape our behavior
from and early age. Example, if we have a relationship with a mother who does not care for
us, we may unconsciously react by trying to self-provide the nurturance she should have
given us developing a narcissistic personality.

Antisocial Personalities: act without regard to the rights or feelings of others, this traits
lead them to be merciless competitors, desire to hurt others for pleasure, resulting in serial
murder or rape. Frequently charming, use this attribute to get what they want.
Criminal Personality: criminals behave in a sexually irresponsible manner in genral and
have the following personality issues: afraid of put-downs or injury (criminal personality is
touchy, always ready to attack), angry (sense of pervasive rage about their personality),
inordinate self-pride (its prideful, perhaps in reaction to negative feelings about himself or
herself), interactions characterized by lying (he or she exaggerates that truth or makes up
lies out of whole cloth), refusal to trust (they dont trust others), and irresponsible (they
cannot be trusted to take care of ordinary responsibilities of living; paying bills, taxes, and
so on.).
Masculinity Hypothesis: criminal women exhibited masculine features and mannerisms.
Psychodynamic Theory: a broad range of theories that focus on the influence of
instinctive drives and forces and the importance of developmental processes in shaping the
personality. Contemporary psychodynamic theory places greater emphasis on conscious
experience and its interaction with the unconscious and the role social factors play in
development.

Short-Answer Questions

1. What is deviance? Explain what is meant by deviance is relative.

Deviance is behaviors, beliefs or characteristics that do not follow the norms. What
deviance is relative is meant to say is that there is no one who can tell us what is
deviant and what is not, it is classified as deviant behavior by the person that is
observing the behavior of another person.
2. There are several explicit definitions of deviance, including the statistical definition, the
absolutist definition, the reactivist definition, and the normative definition. Explain and
give examples for two of these definitions.
Statistical definition is behaviors that we seldom see other people engage in. An
example of statistical definition would be eating snails, or murder. Normative
definition says that deviance is a violation of a norm that ends u with social
disapproval. An example of normative definition would be robbery, murder, or rape.
3. What role does power play in defining behavior, acts, and/or conditions as deviant?
Powerful people define what is deviant and what is not to less powerful people. They
promote good manners, because in that way the powerful will not be threatened by
the less powerful, and the less powerful have hope of getting more power.
4. There is a contradiction about what constitutes deviance. Why is there
disagreement?
There is no agreement on what or who is deviant. The reason for this disagreement
is that we see the world through our experiences, our judgments and reactions are
not simply our own because our experiences are mostly shared with other groups
which we belong to, and we follow those beliefs which affects our perspective of the
world.
5. Identify two of the four important dimensions of deviance
Two of the four important dimensions of deviance is what is deviance and how to
define it.
6. Distinguish between deviance and crime. Provide an example to illustrate this
difference.
Deviance doesnt always involve criminal behavior; it only states that is a behavior
that doesnt follow the norms. An example of deviant behavior is drinking alcohol in
the morning. Crime also doesnt always have to be deviant, because some minor
crimes are committed by a lot of people but they receive a punishment (law.). An
example of criminal behavior is drinking underage, speeding.
7. According to the text, the Middle Ages was characterized by a starkly punitive attitude
toward sin and crime. What was a key issue to this attitude and how was social control
used to address it?
The key issue to this attitude was the notion that life was short/ transitory and it
didnt matter whether the one receiving the punishment was really guilty or not.
Punishments were out control
The key issue to this attitude was the suppression of women. They used social
control by using the society religious preoccupation saying that nature-religion
practices threaten the church and the state.

8. What were three main assertions of classical theory, according to Cesare Beccaria?
The 3 main assertions were certainty (the criminal should be sure that he/she will
receive punishment), celerity (punishment should occur shortly after the offense),
and severity (the punishment should be sufficient to deter behavior, not excesieve).

9. Identify and briefly explain two examples of early biological theories.

The phrenologists, they believed that shape of the head could describe personality
and could predict criminal behavior; they also used the bumps in the head. Sheldon
Somatypes is another biological theories, he believed that the shape of the body
could predict criminal behavior; there are 3 types: mesomorph (more likely to be
criminal), endomorph, and ectomorph.

10.

How can psychodynamic theory help us better understand deviance?

Psychodynamic theory helps us understand how people behave. There are 3
components of the mind according to this theory, the id (pleasure) , the superego
(ethical) and the ego (reality). If we have a weak ego, the is a greater chance that
we would exhibit deviant behavior because we would be acting on our id more than
normally. It helps understand deviance because the id is the pleasure component of
the mind, which if we continuously let it free can create deviant behavior, with
disregard of what other people think or what is socially acceptable.