• IMAGINE YOURSELF WALKING DOWN

AN AFFLUENT SUBDIVISION, WHERE

ALL ROADS ARE PAVED AND EVERY
STREET LIGHTED.
• HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE
HOMES IN THIS SUBDIVISION?
• NOW, IMAGINE YOURSELF WALKING NO

TOWARDS THIS HOUSE, STILL IN THE ENTRY

SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, WITH THE

“NO ENTRY” SIGN OUT FRONT.
• DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL HONOR
THIS SIGN? WHY OR WHY NOT?
• NOW IMAGINE YOURSELF IN A DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOOD, PERHAPS IN THE MIDDLE OF A
CITY. SOME OF THE ROADS HAVE POTHOLES AND
SOME STREETS MAY BE LIGHTED, BUT
EVERYWHERE AROUND YOU FEELS DARK.
• HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE HOMES IN
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?
• AS BEFORE, IMAGINE YOURSELF WALKING
TOWARDS A HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
LOOKS LIKE THIS HOUSE, COMPLETE WITH THE
“NO ENTRY” SIGN. NO
ENTRY
• DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL HONOR THIS
SIGN?
• HOW DO YOU IMAGINE THE INSIDE OF THIS
HOUSE LOOKS LIKE?
• HOW DID YOUR IMAGINATION CHANGE BASED
ON THE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD THE HOUSE
IS LOCATED IN?
• SOCIAL CONTROL referred only to a
society’s capacity to regulate itself, but in
recent years, it has been altered to reflect
its capacity to influence human behavior
towards the maintenance of a given order.
Today, social control is defined simply as
“the various means by which members of
society encourage conformity to cultural
norms.”
• CONFORMITY is the act of matching
behaviors, acts, and attitudes to what is
generally acceptable in a society or a group.
It may result from informal and formal
means of social control.
• According to Edward Alsworth Ross
(1901), he refers to social control as the
“foundation of order within a
society.” According to him, without
social control, there can be no
successful cooperation, where
the fruits of cooperation of
individuals are enjoyed and
shared to the society as a
whole.
 INFORMAL
BASIC FORMS OF MEANS
SOCIAL
CONTROL
FORMAL MEANS
 INDIVIDUAL’S INNER CAPACITY TO SENSE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS
WRONG

SOCIAL VALUES, SANCTIONS, AND REWARD AND PUNISHMENT

MOST POWERFUL IN SOCIAL GROUPS WHERE INTERACTIONS ARE ON A

INFORMAL MEANS PERSONAL BASIS.

SUBJECT OF AN ENTIRE FIELD OF STUDY CALLED THE SOCIAL CONTROL

THEORY WHICH PROPOSES THAT INDIVIDUALS WILL TEND TO UPHOLD THE
NORMS AND VALUES OF SOCIETY BECAUSE THEY ATTRIBUTE
SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING TO SUCH

“SYMPATHY (THE CAPACITY TO CONNECT WITH ANOTHER PERSON), SOCIABILITY (THE INSTINCT TO
FACILITATE HARMONY IN ONE’S INTERACTIONS), THE SENSE OF JUSTICE (THE MENTAL CAPACITY TO
APPROPRIATE THAT ONE’S DESIRES, INTERESTS AND RIGHTS ARE THE SAME AS THAT OF OTHERS), AND
RESENTMENT (TAKEN TO MEAN INDIVIDUAL REACTION) ARE COMPETENT…TO WORKOUT BY THEMSELVES
A TRUE, NATURAL ORDER”.
- EDWARD ROSS
 THE SYSTEM OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS THAT
BECOME STRUCTURALIZED IN AN INSTITUTION.

METHODS UTILIZED BY GOVERNMENTS AND

ORGANIZATIONS TO PREVENT CHAOS IN SOCIETY.

FORMAL
MEANS LAW IS A SYSTEM OF RULES CREATED TO REINFORCE
SOCIAL VALUES AND TO REGULATE BEHAVIOR.

COERCION OR THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST SOCIAL

DEVIANCE IS A FORMAL MEANS OF CONTROL THAT IS
UTILIZED ONLY BY THE STATE. IT IS USED ONLY IN
EXTREME SITUATIONS AS A LAST RESORT.
• DEVIANCE IS DEFINED BY ITS SOCIAL CONTEXT.
TO DEFINE WHETHER A BEHAVIOR IS DEVIANT
OR NOT, ONE MUST EXAMINE THE CONTEXT,
WHAT THE EXISTING RULES ARE, AND HOW
THESE RULES WERE ESTABLISHED

• DEVIANCE IS NOT AN INHERENT TRAIT OF

HUMAN BEINGS, NOR OF THE BEHAVIORS
THEMSELVES. INSTEAD, IT IS A PRODUCT OF
SOCIAL PROCESSES.
• FORMAL DEVIANCE – VIOLATION OF FORMALLY
ENCATED LAWS.

• INFORMAL DEVIANCE – VIOLATIONS OF

INFORMAL CULTURAL NORMS
TYPES OF DEVIANCE
• OVERCONFORMITY “POSITIVE • UNDERCONFORMITY “NEGATIVE
DEVIANCE”
• INVOLVES BEHAVIOR THAT
OVERCONFORMS TO SOCIAL
EXPECTATIONS
• LEADS TO IMBALANCE AND
PERFECTIONISM
• CAN BE AS HARMFUL AS
NEGATIVE DEVIANCE
• EXAMPLES
• ANOREXIA
• BODY BUILDER
• “PERFECT” STUDENTS
• KNOWS ANSWER TO
EVERY QUESTION
• 100% A+ ON ALL TESTS
AND PAPERS
• PERFECT ATTENDANCE
DEVIANCE”
• INVOLVES BEHAVIOR THAT UNDER-
CONFORMS TO SOCIAL
EXPECTATIONS PEOPLE EITHER
REJECT, MISINTERPRET, OR ARE
UNAWARE OF THE NORMS
• EXAMPLES:
• OBESITY
• UNMOTIVATED STUDENTS
• LACK OF PARTICIPATION
• SLEEP IN CLASS
• UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
• FAIL TESTS AND PAPERS
DEVIANCE DEPENDS ON…
• TIME
• FASHION AND GROOMING CHANGE
WITH TIME, LIKE THE FOUNDING FATHERS FASHION
• PLACE
• WHERE BEHAVIOR OCCURS DETERMINES WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE OR
DEVIANT
• CHEERING/BOOING AT FOOTBALL GAME VS. IN CLASS
• SITUATION
• TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER PLACE IN DETERMINING APPROPRIATENESS OF
ACTIONS
• LAUGHING IN CLASS VS. LAUGHING IN CLASS DURING A MOMENT OF
SILENCE
• CULTURE
• MOST INFLUENTIAL IN DEFINING DEVIANCE
• MEN GREETING EACH OTHER
• US: HAND SHAKE
• JAPAN: BOW
• EUROPE: KISS ON CHEEK
 STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST APPROACH TO DEVIANCE
STRAIN THEORIES: DEVIANCE IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN A GAP
EXISTS BETWEEN CULTURAL GOALS AND THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THESE
GOALS BY LEGITIMATE MEANS

• INNOVATION: INDIVIDUAL ACCEPTS GOAL OF SUCCESS BUT USES

ILLEGAL MEANS TO ACHIEVE IT
• EX: DRUG DEALERS

• RITUALISM: INDIVIDUAL REJECTS GOAL OF SUCCESS BUT CONTINUES

TO “GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS” WITHOUT BELIEVING IN THE PROCESS
• EX. TEACHER WHO DOESN’T CARE ABOUT ENGAGING STUDENTS, BUT STILL
COMES TO WORK

• RETREATISM: INDIVIDUAL REJECTS BOTH LEGITIMATE MEANS AND

APPROVED GOALS (GIVEN UP ON LIFE)
• EX. BAG LADY

• REBELLION: INDIVIDUAL REJECTS BOTH SUCCESS AND THE APPROVED

MEANS FOR ACHIEVING IT; SUBSTITUTES THEIR OWN GOAL AND MEANS
TO ACHIEVE IT
• EX. MILITIA MEMBER
JOHN HAGEN, IN 1994, INTRODUCED A TYPOLOGY FOR CLASSIFYING
DEVIANT ACTS IN TERMS OF
1. THEIR PERCEIVED IMPACT TO THE SOCIETY;
2. THE DEGREE OF NORMS VIOLATED;
3. THE SEVERITY OF THE SOCIAL CONTROL SUCH VIOLATIONS ELICIT.
FOR HIM, THE SERIOUS ACTS OF DEVIANCE ARE REFERRED TO AS
CONSENSUS CRIMES. IN THIS SITUATION, THERE IS A NEAR-UNANIMOUS
PUBLIC AGREEMENT THAT SUCH DEVIANT ACTS ARE INJURIOUS AND
MORALLY INTOLERABLE, AND HENCE, MUST BE SUBJECT TO SEVERE
PENALTIES.
THE SECOND KIND OF DEVIANT ACTS ARE CALLED CONFLICT CRIMES
BECAUSE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE DISAGREEMENT ABOUT ITS
SERIOUSNESS. SOCIAL DEVIATIONS REPRESENT DEVIANT ACTS WHICH ARE
NOT ILLEGAL, BUT ARE WIDELY REGARDED AS INAPPROPRIATE.
THE LEAST SERIOUS OF ALL DEVIANT ACTS ARE REFERRED TO AS SOCIAL
DIVERSIONS. IN SOME CULTURES, EXCESSIVE TATTOOS, AND SHORT SKIRTS
ARE SOCIAL DIVERSIONS. THEY ARE DEVIANCE MAY BE REFERRED TO
AS FORMAL OR INFORMAL WHEN CATEGORIZED ACCORDING TO THE KIND OF
SOCIAL CONTROL UTILIZED TO CORRECT THE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. NOT
NECESSARILY HARMFUL, BUT ARE GENERALLY REGARDED AS DISTASTEFUL.
• invite four or five people to join you in this activity. sit comfortably, and if you wish, you may close your eyes to
imagine the journey you are about to embark on. assign a group member to read the following:
•
• “YOU TAKE YOUR BAGS ONBOARD A LUXURY LINER AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME. ONBOARD
YOU SEE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, ALL AGES, FROM BABIES TO ELDERLY PEOPLE, SPEAKING LOTS OF
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES OR SIGNING TO EACH OTHER. THEY ARE DRESSED IN WAYS THAT SUGGEST THAT THEY COME
FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND RELIGIONS. SOME WEAR SIKH TURBANS AND SARIS, WHILE OTHERS DON JEWISH
YARMULKES. ONCE ONBOARD YOU DISCOVER THAT THE DIVERSITY GOES FURTHER AND THERE ARE ACTIVITIES TO
CATER FOR EVERY INTEREST, TYPE OF SOCIAL GROUP, AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES. THE RANGE IS STAGGERING - FROM
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TO CHRISTIAN WORSHIP SERVICES, TO SOCIAL EVENINGS FOR GAY AND LESBIAN, BISEXUAL
AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE TO MEET, TO SCIENCE FICTION BOOK CLUBS, TO POLITICAL PARTY YOUTH EVENTS.
EVERYONE IS HAVING A GREAT TIME.
•
• THEN THE SHIP HITS AN ICEBERG, AND SINKS. MIRACULOUSLY, WITH EVERYONE’S HELP, ALL 2000 PASSENGERS FIND
THEIR WAY ON TO THE LIFEBOATS. MIRACULOUSLY AGAIN, THE PASSENGERS SPEND ONLY A FEW HOURS ON LIFEBOATS
BEFORE THEY SPY LAND. WITH EVERYONE’S HELP, THEY ALL BUMP ASHORE. (YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES). FINALLY, YOU
ARE DELIGHTED TO DISCOVER THAT THERE IS FRESH FOOD AND WATER ON THE ISLAND AND IT HAS EVERYTHING THAT
HUMAN BEINGS NEED TO SUPPORT LIFE. HOWEVER, YOU NEED TO THINK OF THE RULES THAT YOU WILL LIVE BY,
WHILE YOU ARE AWAITING RESCUE. WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE RULES YOU WILL UPHOLD TOGETHER AS GROUP TO
MAKE YOUR ISLAND LIVING AS PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE?
•
• discuss what these rules are with your group. write them on a sheet of paper. when you have completed the activity,
you can begin to discuss the following questions with your group: which rule were easy to decide on? which rules were
difficult? how did you agree on which rules will be upheld?
HUMAN DIGNITY
• REFERS TO THE IDEA THAT EVERY HUMAN
BEING HAS THE RIGHT TO BE TREATED
WITH RESPECT AND VALUE.
• TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY MEANS
HONORING ONE’S AUTONOMY,
PERSONHOOD, AND FREE WILL.
PROLIFERATING SUCH SOCIAL VALUES
ARE COMMONLY THE FUNCTION OF
SOCIALIZATION, CITIZENSHIP TRAINING,
AND EDUCATION.
• CULTURE HAS THE CAPACITY TO SHAPE
THE SYMBOLS, LANGUAGE AND BELIEF
SYSTEMS OF A COLLECTION OF
INDIVIDUALS, IT IS THE BEST CHANNEL BY
WHICH HUMAN DIGNITY AND HUMAN
RIGHTS CAN BE PRESERVED AND
PROTECTED.
ACCORDING TO KAUFMANN, KUCH,
NEUHAUSER, AND WEBSTER, HUMAN DIGNITY
MAYBE VIOLATED IN FOUR WAYS
• HUMILIATION – ANY ACT THAT MAY DIMNISH
THE SELF-WORTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR
GROUP.
• INSTRUMENTATION/OBJECTIFICATION - THE
ACT OF TREATING ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL AS A
MEANS TO ACHIEVE SOME GOAL.
• DEGRADATION – REFERS TO ACTS THAT
DEGRADE THE VALUE OF HUMAN BEINGS.
• DEHUMANIZATION – REFERS TO ACTS THAT
STRIP A PERSON OR A GROUP OF ALL ITS
HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.
THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

According to the United Nations, HUMAN

RIGHTS are “rights inherent to all human
beings regardless of race, sex, nationality,
ethnicity, language, or any other status.” The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR), proclaimed in 1948 by the United
Nations General Assembly, provided a
standard of fundamental human rights that all
nations must aspire to protect. Some of the
basic human rights include the RIGHT TO
LIFE AND LIBERTY, RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION, THE RIGHT TO QUALITY
EDUCATION AND ADEQUATE WORK
OPPORTUNITIES, AND FREEDOM FROM
SLAVERY AND TORTURE.
THE CONCEPT OF COMMON GOOD

COMMON GOOD IS DEFINED THE SAME

WAY: THE VALUES, STRUCTURES AND
PROCESSES THAT ARE SHARED AND ARE
BENEFICIAL FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE
SAME CULTURE OR SOCIETY. PUBLIC
SERVICES, EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE,
PEACE AND ORDER, AND A SUSTAINABLE
ENVIRONMENT ARE JUST SOME OF THE
MORE WELL-KNOWN COMMON GOODS
TODAY.
HUMAN DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, THE
COMMON GOOD AND ITS RELATION TO
CULTURE
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) reiterates: “the recognition of inherent
dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family” is the
“foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the
world”. Human dignity is universal—it is not
dependent on one’s status in society, or the
wealth one owns. In a sense, upholding human
dignity is the greatest of all values because it
ensures that all other aspects of culture serve to
help persons achieve their true and full
humanity. Any action that deters individuals from
achieving such goal should be tagged as deviant
acts, and must be subjected to social control.