Chapter 7

Deviance

Chapter Outline

Defining Deviance
Sociological Theories of Deviance
Forms of Deviance
Deviance in Global Perspective

Defining Deviance

Behavior that is recognized as

violating expected rules and norms.
Behavior that departs significantly
from social expectations.

Sociological Definition of
Deviance

Stresses social context, not individual

behavior.
Recognizes that not all behaviors are
judged similarly by all groups.
Recognizes that established rules and
norms are socially created.

Sociological Theories of
Deviance
Functionalism

Deviance creates social

cohesion.

Symbolic
Interaction

Deviance is learned
behavior.

Conflict Theory

Dominant classes control

the definition of deviance.

Sociological Theories of
Deviance
Functionalism

Symbolic
Interaction
Conflict Theory

Deviance results from

structural strains in
society.
Deviance results from
social labeling.
Deviance results from
inequality in society.

Sociological Theories of
Deviance
Occurs when
Functionalism
attachment to social
bonds is diminished
Those with the power to
Symbolic
assign deviant labels
Interaction
create deviance.
Elite deviance goes
Conflict Theory
largely unpunished.

Durkheim: Three Types of

Suicide
1.

2.

3.

Anomic - disintegrating forces in society

make an individual feel lost and alone.
Altruistic - for the sake of a higher
cause.
Egoistic - occurs when people feel
totally detached from society.

Suicide Rates

Suicide Rates by State

Mertons Structural Strain

Theory

Traces the origins of deviance to the tensions

caused by the gap between cultural goals and
the means people have to achieve these goals.
Culture establishes goals for people; social
structures provide, or fail to provide, the means
for people to achieve those goals.
Imbalance between cultural goals and
structurally available means can compel
individuals into deviant behavior.

Mertons Structural Strain

Theory

Yes

Institutionalized
means toward
goal available?
Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Cultural goals
accepted?

Conformity
Innovative
deviance
Ritualistic
deviance

Mertons Structural Strain

Theory

Retreatism
deviance
Rebellion

Cultural goals
accepted?

Institutionalized
means toward
goal available?

No

No

No (old goals)
No (old means)
Yes (new goals) Yes (new means)

Social Control Theory:

Hirschi

Travis Hirschi developed social control theory to

explain the occurrence of deviance.
According to social control theory, deviance
occurs when a persons (or groups) attachment
to social bonds is weakened.
Most of the time people internalize social norms
because of their attachments to others.
When that bond is broken, deviance occurs.

Symbolic Interaction
Theories of Deviance
Differential Association
Deviant behavior is learned through
interaction with others.
People pass on deviant expectations
through their social groups and
networks.

Symbolic Interaction
Theories of Deviance
Labeling Theory
Responses of others is most
significant in deviance.
A person may become deviant
because of a label, even if he/she did
not engage in deviant behavior.

Theories of Deviance: Mental

Illness
Functionalists

By recognizing mental illness,

society upholds values about
conforming behavior.

Symbolic
Interactionist

Mentally ill are victims of societal

reactions to their behavior.

Labeling and
Conflict theory

People with few resources are most

likely to be labeled mentally ill.

Social Stigmas

A stigma is an attribute that is socially

devalued and discredited.
People with stigmas are defined in terms
of their presumed deviance.
In hiding their stigma, they isolate
themselves from communities where they
can find support.

Substance Abuse

Patterns of use vary by many factors such as

age, gender, and race:
People under age 25 are more likely to use
marijuana and cocaine and binge drink.
Men are more likely than women to be
problem drinkers and drug abusers.
African Americans and Hispanics are less
likely to drink than Whites and are far less
likely to be binge drinkers.

Cigarette Smoking by Adults

Use of Selected Substances

by High School Seniors

Polling Question

Did you ever use marijuana during your

senior year in high school?
A. Yes
B. No

Drug and Alcohol Use (18-25

Years)

Polling Question

A.

B.
C.
D.
E.

I believe that underage drinking is an

important social problem in our society.
Strongly agree
Agree somewhat
Unsure
Disagree somewhat
Strongly disagree

Deviance in Global
Perspective: Terrorism

Motivated by political conflicts, often involving

ethnic and religious conflict, terrorism has
caused some of the worlds most violent
incidents.
These expressions of extremist political beliefs
stem from the many international conflicts of our
current world events.
Sociologists look to the social structural
conflicts from which terrorism emerges as the
cause of such criminal and deviant behavior.

Deviance in Global
Perspective: Technology

Technological developments that ease

communication for legitimate business activities
also enable illegitimate activities to thrive.
Money acquired through illegal activity in one
country can easily be transferred to another
country.
Transportation systems critical to the
international exchange of illegal goodsdrugs,
weapons, or sexual services link places that
were once distant and inaccessible.

Deviance in Global
Perspective: Drugs

Some nations, including the United States,

Australia, and parts of western Europe, are vast
markets for the consumption of illegal drugs.
Other nations, such as Colombia, are known as
major drug producers.
Still others, such as China, Brazil, and Mexico,
play a role as conduits for drug traffic and
production.

The Global Fix

Quick Quiz

1. The sociological definition of deviance

stresses:
a. the individual who is deviant
b. the behavior defined as deviant
c. the social context in which deviance
occurs
d. the personality types related to
deviance

Answer: c

The sociological definition of deviance

stresses the social context in which
deviance occurs.

2. Emile Durkheim argued that:

a. deviance is learned through social
interaction
b. deviance is functional to society because it
produces solidarity
c. those with the most power in society define
who is deviant
d. individual factors cause deviant behavior

Answer: b

Emile Durkheim argued that deviance is

functional to society because it
produces solidarity.

3. Functionalist theorists argue that

deviance:
a. results from inequality in society
b. is a learned behavior
c. is reinforced through group
membership
d. creates social cohesion

Answer: d

Functionalist theorists argue that

deviance creates social cohesion.

4. Which of the following statements about social

control theory is true?
a. society often fails to provide legitimate
means to accomplish cultural goals
b. people become criminals when they are
more strongly socialized to break the law
c. the economic organization of capitalist
societies produces deviance
d. most of the time people internalize social
norms because of their attachments to
others

Answer: d

The statement that most of the time

people internalize social norms
because of their attachments to others
is true.

5. Labeling theory interprets the responses

of others as the most significant factor in
understanding how deviant behavior is
both created and sustained
a. True
b. False

Answer: True

Labeling theory interprets the responses

of others as the most significant factor in
understanding how deviant behavior is
both created and sustained.