Defining Deviance
Defining Deviance
Deviance- doing something different from the normal
Sociological Perspectives on Deviance
Formal Deviance- breaking a law or rule example: crime
Informal Deviance- doing something different from the customary
Social groups create deviance by applying rules to certain people, making them “outsiders”
Behavior that is deviant or normal depending on the situation
Deviance stabilizes society
Durkheim thinks that societies use deviance to create and point out the standard norms
The Medicalization of Deviance
Medicalization of Deviance- illness explaining someone’s deviant behavior example: alcoholism
Functionalist Theories of Deviance
There would be no norms without defiance
Deviance is necessary to clarify what societies norms are
Emilie Durkheim
He believed deviance creates unity within a society as far as actions go
Developed this analysis of deviance from analyzing suicide
He analyzed 3 types of suicide
Anomic Suicide- forces that make someone feel alone/lonely example: teenage suicide
Altruistic Suicide- social guidelines overwhelm an individual
Someone who commits suicide for the sake of a religious or political cause example: suicide bomber or terrorists
Egoistic Suicide- feeling unattached from society
High rates among elderly
Anomie- when norms change
This term refers to social conditions
Robert Merton
Structural Strain Theory- deviances that come about from cultural goals and how to reach those goals
He believed that societies are characterized by both cultural and social structure
Innovative Deviance- society thinking its hard to get rich, leading to innovative ways to make money
Ritualistic Deviance-eating disorders
The goal of extreme thinness is perceived as unattainable
Retreatism Deviance- when goals and the mean aren’t available example: alcoholism or homeless
Rebellion- change caused by force
Example: KKK, Nazi
Travis Hirschi
Social Control Theory- deviance is because of weak social bonds
Assumes there is a common value
Deviance- doing something different from the normal
Sociological Perspectives on Deviance
Formal Deviance- breaking a law or rule example: crime
Informal Deviance- doing something different from the customary
Social groups create deviance by applying rules to certain people, making them “outsiders”
Behavior that is deviant or normal depending on the situation
Deviance stabilizes society
Durkheim thinks that societies use deviance to create and point out the standard norms
The Medicalization of Deviance
Medicalization of Deviance- illness explaining someone’s deviant behavior example: alcoholism
Functionalist Theories of Deviance
There would be no norms without defiance
Deviance is necessary to clarify what societies norms are
Emilie Durkheim
He believed deviance creates unity within a society as far as actions go
Developed this analysis of deviance from analyzing suicide
He analyzed 3 types of suicide
Anomic Suicide- forces that make someone feel alone/lonely example: teenage suicide
Altruistic Suicide- social guidelines overwhelm an individual
Someone who commits suicide for the sake of a religious or political cause example: suicide bomber or terrorists
Egoistic Suicide- feeling unattached from society
High rates among elderly
Anomie- when norms change
This term refers to social conditions
Robert Merton
Structural Strain Theory- deviances that come about from cultural goals and how to reach those goals
He believed that societies are characterized by both cultural and social structure
Innovative Deviance- society thinking its hard to get rich, leading to innovative ways to make money
Ritualistic Deviance-eating disorders
The goal of extreme thinness is perceived as unattainable
Retreatism Deviance- when goals and the mean aren’t available example: alcoholism or homeless
Rebellion- change caused by force
Example: KKK, Nazi
Travis Hirschi
Social Control Theory- deviance is because of weak social bonds
Assumes there is a common value